12 Days of Christmas
by ice spy with no eyes
Summary: Your 12 days of Christmas spent with Atobe Keigo. And by "YOUR" , I mean this is a reader-insert fic. Does not follow the song word-by-word for your sake xD might be completed off season.
1. Day 1: A Baggage on My Pear Tree

"Keigo, are you listening?"

"I am."

Atobe was on the phone with his father that morning. His mood was at its worst thanks to the bad hair day he's having and it did not help much that his father is on the line, telling him that he and his mother won't be home for Christmas this year.

Again.

Just like it was last year.

And the year before.

And ever since.

"We'll try to get home on the twenty-seventh," Atobe's father said in an obviously unsure tone which pissed him more than he already was.

"You don't even have to try. I'm used to it," Atobe replied sarcastically, trying to sound like his usual arrogant tone. But his words appealed in another way to his father, something like held back no anger.

"Keigo, please understand us-"

"I've been understanding you for fourteen years now! I'm sick of it! What more understanding do you need?!" and he's still fifteen years old. Atobe is about to throw a tantrum but stopped himself as he found it unsuitable for his image.

''Good, now I even have to keep an image in front of my OWN father," Atobe thought.

"Keigo! Don't talk like you are always alone-"

"Am I not?! Aahn?"

"You had a lot of servants there with you to do as you wish, I can't think of anything else that you would want!"

"Really now, you cant? I wonder why a person as smart as me was born from a parent as dumb as you," Atobe thought again but left the words inside his brain and were never let out of his mouth.

"I don't need them!" Atobe wanted to tell his father that what he actually needs are his parents and not his army of servants but he chose not to. He thought that as a father, his dad should at least know what his son needs.

"Keigo!"

"Shut it! I'm tired of the excuses you give me each year! Don't even try to come home on the twnety-seventh or anytime after! I'll show you, I don't need all my servants! Nor you or mom! I'll spend the Holidays alone!" Atobe finally snapped, not like he wasn't planning to already. He's been longing to say that to his father for five years now.

His father, seemingly annoyed of his son's behavior, didn't even bother to stop his laughter at his son's first tantrum as a teen. He's not amused though, he's more like, annoyed.

"We'll see about that, Keigo. For someone like you who lived his whole life being served by other people? I doubt you will live through a whole Holiday season without anyone there to serve you. I don't even think you could survive a day without Munehiro-kun."

"Fuck you!" was the line that Atobe never let out of his mouth even if he really wanted to scream the hell on the phone just so his father would realize how he dislikes the current situation.

Then again, he chose not to do it.

"In my greatness, I'm gracing you the chance to take a vacation. I will let you spend your Holiday with your families this year. I want everyone to to go back to their families or anywhere you want. The maids, guards, cooks, drivers and gardeners. Nobody stays. Don't worry about your salary, you are still double paid for this month, nothing changes," Atobe announced from the top of the stairwell while everyone in the Atobe mansion looked up to him from downstairs.

"But, young master-" Michael, the butler tried to reason.

The old butler, who had witnessed Atobe's life more than his parents did never thought that a day like this would come. That a whim such as giving all his servants a very long off from work during the holiday season would cross the young master's mind.

"No buts. I don't want to see your faces after noon. That's an order. Don't bother preparing anything for me. That's all. Leave the soonest possible you can."

The servants shared the same wary look among them. Apparently, none of the servants wanted to leave their young master at such a season. It's Christmas, even a man as arrogant as their young master would be lonely in the absence of company. All of them knew that their young master has always been alone. They can count with their fingers the times that they've seen him sit on the table and dine with his parents and none of those meals were done on Christmas. Or even in a peaceful, homey manner.

They love their young master because they knew that despite that arrogant surface of his, he was never a bad person. Even with all that wealth to boast and all the power to abuse, their young master was never a he had so many whims but all of these were done with the maximum participation of him and not only giving orders to them alone. That was the reason why they loved to work on anything that Atobe wishes to happen- because he himself works in order to make it possible, no matter how impossible it can get.

No one else in the world knows about Atobe's miseries during the most important days of the year- the days when a complete family is so much needed more than any material abundance. They wanted to stay and look after Atobe just like they always do during Christmas, at least to accompany the young lad in probably the loneliest day of the year. But then again leaving their young master alone was an order BY THEIR YOUNG MASTER. And they cannot do anything about it.

Atobe felt stupid sending away all the people who lived with him. His father may be right, that he might not live through the season without anyone serving him. He might not even survive a day in that case.

He ran his fingers through his hair and went back to his room and dialed Kabaji's number on his phone as he plopped himself on his king size bed that matched his claimed title.

It only took one ring for Kabaji to answer the phone, "usu?"

"Your parents are in England this Holiday, right Kabaji?"

"Usu."

"Go to them."

"But-" admit it, it's rare for Kabaji to say something else other than "usu" and "katsu no wa Hyotei."

"I want you to spend the Holiday with them."

There was a long, reluctant pause.

"Kabaji?"

"Usu."

"Good. Don't worry about me. Ore-sama will be able to take care of himself of course," then Atobe hung up.

Even Kabaji knows it. He probably knows better than everyone else. Atobe must not be left alone. ...even though he's always been alone ironically. Specially on days like these. As a friend, Kabaji wanted to not to leave for England and stay with Atobe instead. But Kabaji knew better. Atobe won't ask for it if he can't take it. He knew that Atobe will be fine if he said he'll be fine but that doesn't save him from worrying about his best friend.

Atobe was the one to end the call first, not like Kabaji ever does.

He stayed laying down on his bed, because he really has nothing better to do. It's really cold outside and it would seem like it would snow later so he set aside the idea of going out for a jog or training. He'll do that maybe later he thought, inside the mansion, in his private gym. But right now, he just wants to say staring at the ceiling.

He turned to his side and saw the darkening clouds outside the windows. He clutched the matress, as if seeking comfort from it. Not long later, without realizing it, the king fell asleep.

Two knocks on the heavy wood of his door woke Atobe up.

"Young master Keigo, we will now take our leave. Are you sure you'd like to remain alone?" Michael the butler asked with genuine concern

"Ah."

"Please take care of yourself young-"

"I know. Just leave already."

Michael bowed from the other side of the door. He still respects his young master that much even if he doesn't see it from the other side. Then he left.

"One more thing Michael," Atobe's words made the butler come to a halt, ready to forget about taking the vacation and stay instead if his master asked for it.

"Yes, young master?"

"Enjoy."

Atobe stayed inside his room for the rest of the day. He didn't even bother to eat lunch when noon came. He was asleep for most of the day and read books that he's already done with for the rest and went out of his room around five in the afternoon.

He slowly stepped down the stairwell and stopped halfway as he took his time taking in the new scenario at the mansion. There was a total silence, the type that's ironically deafening. He continued his way down and then realized that it is only his breathing and his footsteps that he could hear.

"This house is very silent and cold," he thought. "But it's always like this."

Atobe might be that one person who everyone thinks who has everything but actually, there still are things that he is looking forward to...

"So this is the real Atobe Kingdom. Cold and silent."

..just like that certain warmth that he has never felt before. Probably the warmth that his "Kingdom" never had.

He tightened his hold on the banister and sighed. It's not like him to get all emotional just because his parents won't be around for Christmas again. He would not admit it it but he should be used to it by now but he just can't.

"It's not bad to throw a tantrum, even for someone who is as great as me, ahn?" he said loudly, not caring if anybody would be there to hear him admit that all he's done since this morning was just a tantrum.

A king's tantrum.

It's not like anybody's there to hear him too. So he thought that it should be fine.

He went to the living room and laid down on the sofa. He thought of going out for the jog that he wasn't able to have this morning but again, set the idea aside. His body is ready for the jog there and now but the state of his emotion just drags him down. It's not like him to get all like this but Atobe knew better. Everyone has his own weakness, even a person as great as he claim he is.

"This sucks, being left all alone here," he grunted. It's okay to rant now, nobody's there to hear him anyway.

"God, I wonder if you answer the prayers of the wealthy but... at least, give me a reason to not call back my servants. My pride is at stake here. I don't want to look like a fool in front of my father. I want to prove him wrong that I can't live a day without my servants. I want... to.."

He was about to close his eyes to finish his what seemed to be like a prayer when the doorbell of their gate rang.

His head perked up, wondering who it might be.

"Maybe the carolers," then the idea crossed the young king's mind.

Although carolers always visited the Atobe mansion during the Holidays, he was never really able to face them personally. His servants would face them for him instead.

"Maybe I should listen to them for the first time. It shouldn't be that bad. Though, I would prefer going to Christmas concerts."

Atobe went out of the house, not even bothering to wear extra garments to warm his body from the light snow falling outside.

The doorbell rang more and is becoming rather persistent. He thought that he should have checked the monitor inside first so that he can tell them that he's coming over.

The bell chimed more as he neared the gate. He found it annoying how the mansion's gate is TOO far from the mansion itself.

"Yes! Yes! I'm here! Could you just stop pressing the button-"

"Uhm, good afternoon there, mister..." a single voice of a girl said from the gate.

"Ahn? It doesn't seem like the carolers. Do carolers go alone like this?" he thought to himself.

" I assume that you are not a caroler, are you?"

"I'm sorry but I'm not..." the girl reluctantly showed herself to Atobe. She was wearing a brown trench coat, brown winter boots and a white beanie. Her (e/c) eyes looking all sad and tired.

"What business do you have with this household?" there's no point in making this girl know who he is so he spoke like he's not the master of the house.

'Uhmm... My... my bag..." the girl started shyly.

"Aahn?"

"My bag, it's inside your fence," the girl blushed out of embarrassment as she fidgeted more.

"What? How did your bag ended over my fence?" Atobe's tongue slipped on that, he was not supposed to say "my fence". But he was more into wondering how the girl's bag would actually end up inside his yard when his fence is like, a six-meter high wall?

"I... I was robbed," the girl's eyes began to swell " not far from here. I chased those men who stole my bags and we headed here. Seeing that I was able to catch up to them, they threw my bag over your fence for distraction."

The girl looked at Atobe's face, she thought she has seen his face somewhere.

"Which way?" Atobe asked, pertaining to where the bag was thrown over.

The girl pointed to her left and Atobe's eyes followed. He could see it, a red bag hanging on the branch of a pear tree. And it wasn't just a bag, it's a travelling backpack.

"We'll get it. Come in," unsuspecting, Atobe opened the gate to let the girl in. He was always told to never trust anyone easily like that, as they might take advantage of him, specially when he's alone like he is right now. Many people would plot anything and everything just to get their hands on the only heir of the Atobe plutocracy.

The girl wasn't able to move right away as she was taken aback by Atobe's sudden acceptance of her plea. The look on the girl's face was rather too pathetic to look at, it made Atobe's heart skip a beat which doesn't really happen that often. She looked very worried, too worried for something like a backpack thrown over such a high wall and he's even being kind enough to give it back to her.

At the girl's first step forward, Atobe's insight examined her for no reason.

What he saw surprised him though.

The girl's left wrist is broken. But it seems like it isn't that bad.

"What's your name?" Atobe asked as he closed the gate and started to walk to the direction of the pear tree.

"(Last name), (Last name, first name). Thank you very much for helping me... um..." the girl can't continue her sentence since she doesn't know Atobe.

"Atobe Keigo."

The girl thought she has heard that name before but she's not sure when and where, "must be my imagination," she said in her mind.

"Thank you very much for helping me, Atobe-san."

"It's nothing. Nice to meet you, (last name)," Atobe replied as he examined the tree and tried to see the best route to take in order to retrieve the girl's bag.

Let's admit it, a sad Atobe Keigo is can get super nice, even to a stranger.

"Nice to meet you too, Atobe-san," the girl replied timidly.

With ease, Atobe climbed up the tree and got the red bag. The girl approached him as he got down but he refused to give her the bag.

The girl got confused of this action but did not manage to say a word.

"Before I give this to you, would you-"

"I only have enough money to get back home to Osaka, Atobe-san. I surely cannot pay you with anything now but I hope you'd be considerate, I'll pay you back that's for sure, since I don't keep debts for long but its impossible for now."

"Would you come inside for some hot drink?" Atobe replied from point blank, which left the girl blinking at him in surprise.

Atobe did not wait for her response and headed back to the mansion with the girl's bag over his shoulder. The girl, who had no choice since her bag is still with the man who helped her, followed close behind.

He doesn't want to let the girl go away with a broken wrist.

Or maybe he just doesn't have anything better to do.

He knows it's just the latter. It's really boring inside the house. (First name) was the second person he's talked to after Michael this morning.

Atobe let (first name) inside the mansion and made her sit on the sofa on the living room.

"Stay there, I'll be back in a minute," Atobe put the girl's bag on the other sofa. And turned the TV on for her.

He headed to the kitchen and tried to think of something he can actually make without having to call for his servant's help, which is deemed impossible for the moment.

At least he has the idea how to make it, since he's not a total ignorant despite the fact he has never prepared one himself ever since.

Tea? Choco? Coffee? Milk?

Coffee. It's probably the safest choice he has.

Civet coffee. One of the most expensive coffee types of the world. But he just hates the fact the seeds came from civet cats' shit. Anyhow, it will never reach the market unless it's clean.

While the coffee was boiling, he got the first aid kit. he needs to treat that girl's hands.

Atobe went to the living room with a tray with two cups of coffee on his right hand and the first aid kit on the left.

He left the coffee and the first aid kit on the table and went back to the kitchen to get a stool chair.

"You have a broken wrist. Its not that bad but it will if you'd just leave it hanging like that." Atobe told the girl as he sat on the stool chair in front of her with the first aid kit on his lap.

One part of his mind says "I'm fine doing the first aid for my team whenever they get injured in matches but I never thought that a day when the great me would serve coffee to other people would come. This is insane."

The girl stared at Atobe in awe.

"H-how did you know?" she said as she held her right wrist close to her chest.

"Nothing can deceive my insight," Atobe replied without meeting the girl's eyes. He was too busy rummaging the first aid kit, preparing the materials he need. "Give me your left hand," he demanded. The girl gave her hand to Atobe still confused as to how Atobe knew about the injury on her wrist.

Atobe used bandage to stabilize her wrist. When he was done, he started to drink his coffee.

"T-thanks." the girl broke the silence.

"I should have not taken the trouble of making the coffee if you're just going to let it sit there." Atobe said as he picked the coffee by it's saucer and handed it to the girl which she received using her right hand.

"How were you able to tell that I have an injury, Atobe-san?" the girl asked, not wanting to keep the awkward silence for long.

"I can see it..." Atobe briefly replied "...with my insight."

The girl paused for a moment. Insight. He has recently heard about a person who can use inisht that well. She tried hard to remember gasped a bit when it hit her.

That face, that name, that insight.

It was during the nationals when she heard about that from a member of the boys' tennis club of her school that also participated. Atobe Keigo, senior student of Hyoutei academy, student council president of the middle school department, captain of Hyotei Boy's Tennis Club and apparently, the man who can use his insight to see through his opponents weaknesses.

That was so much to take for her. The person with her right now is no ordinary person.

He is THE Atobe Keigo from THE Hyoutei, the guys with THAT insight.

"What?"

"I... I'm sorry for my intrusion, Atobe-sama!" the girl half-panicked as she started to make bows of apology and stared distancing herself from the man on the stool in front of her.

"What are you sorry for, aahn?"

"I.. I intruded your-"

"Intruded my what? You asked for my permission to enter and I let you in. I see no intrusion in that,' Atobe said as he set his cup and saucer on the table.

"But...''

"Besides, it was me who invited you in," Atobe turned to face his visitor, "What happened?"

Atobe himself cannot believe what he's doing. He actually made a stranger into his house and now they're conversing like this.

"I was on my way to the train station when three men snatched away my bags. I had four bags with me. The one that was thrown over your fence, another one that contains my school stuff and the other one, that looks exactly like the one that's left now had my clothes,"

Atobe couldn't help but wonder, why does she have so many bags with her?

"Where were you going?"

"Home. For the season."

So that explains it.

"Is your home somewhere around here?" Atobe asked, he thought that maybe he could take her there, as he had nothing better to do after they talk.

"I was living quite far from here here, in an apartment. I am from Osaka but I lived here in Tokyo since I had to attend the school that my sponsor chose for me. I was on my way to the train station when I was robbed by three men. I chased them from where I was and we ended up here. I was able to keep up with one of them that's why he threw my bag over your fence to distract me. One of them even sidestepped me and I fell, that's why I broke my wrist."

"And she has yet to leave Tokyo. How unfortunate. Is poverty that much of an evil for this to happen?" Atobe thought.

"And that school would be?" Atobe chose to keep the conversation for long, as he selfishly didn't want to be left alone again.

"Shiritsu Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku Chugakko"

"That's far."

The girl chuckled a bit, "Yes, it is. But it won't be anymore next time, I'm going to transfer to a different school after the Holidays."

"That school is has a strong tennis club," Atobe said, leaving the transferring of schools behind on purpose. The girl's eyes lit up upon hearing that.

"Yes, it does. Yukimura-san and Sanada-san train the members themselves."

"Still, they lost to Seigaku during the nationals,"

'Uh... they did. But that made them work harder. The new captain and vice-captain will surely take the crown back." The girl said reassuringly.

Atobe somewhat glared at her, wanting to say "No way, Hiyoshi and Ohtori will never let that happen."

The girl noticed Atobe's glare and quickly apologized.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry, Atobe-san! I should have not said that!"

Atobe just laughed. He knows what the girl is thinking right now. It might be rude of her to say something like that in the face of Hyotei's captain. Well, it could have been, if he's still the one to lead Hyotei the next time they'd fight in the Nationals. But it's not him anymore so it shouldn't bother him. BUT IT DOES.

"It's fine. It's not like I am still leading Hyotei when that happens. But I'm sure the team's new captain will be the one to snatch away the crown from Seigaku, even if it means declaring war against Rikkaidai."

"That's really the fighting spirit of Hyotei! But, do you know? In the girls' tournaments, the story is quite different."

''I heard from the captain of our girls' tennis club too."

"Unlike our boys' tennis club, Rikkai's girls' tennis club was able to keep it's fourth consecutive win. We did, after putting up such a fight against Hyotei Girls' Tennis Club, of course. Your girls really are troublesome opponents. Even the queens of Rikkai needed to fight on long, drawn-out matches and even the reserve players had to play."

"That's as much as I heard too. But, I must say, next time, Hyotei's girls' and boys' tennis clubs will reign the nationals."

The girl just smiled on that, the type that says "I'm looking forward to that."

"Uhm... Atobe-san, I'll be going now." the girl gave the king a look that asked for confirmation.

Atobe nodded. Seems like his company wouldn't stay for long and he has no right to hold her back.

Atobe stood up too, and picked up the girl's bag and gave it to her, "I'll see you off."

The girl blushed at that, but bowed out of politeness.

Atobe let the way and opened the door.

"And I'll be left alone again. This sucks. Those robbers need to rob more people and throw their bags over my fence." Atobe thought.

"Oh my God!" The girl exclaimed but covered her mouth right away when Atobe turned to look at her.

"What is it?"

"My... wallet..." the girl trailed off as she rummaged her bag, "MY WALLET IS NOT HERE!"

"What?!" Atobe exclaimed too, surprised of the revelation.

"I... My wallet... was inside my tennis bag!How could I forget that? And my tennis bag was also stolen! All this bag contains are... are.."

"Are what?"

The girl blushed hard.

"Nevermind, Atobe-san. Thank you for your hospitality," the girl quickly walked out the door, completely forgetting that it is a very rude thing to do.

But she was pulled back inside by Atobe.

"And where do you intend to go without your money? You told me that you ONLY have enough money to go home, aahn? And you don't have that money now."

"But! But..."

"It'll be hard. It's snowing outside. You can't possible reach Osaka alive if you don't have your money."

"I'd get by."

"You're staying."

"I've troubled you enough. Thank you but no thank you." the girl politely refused.

"I don't take refusals. You are staying."

The girl wanted to leave, feeling that she's caused so much trouble for Atobe just by coming there. But Atobe already closed the door and it will be very rude to make the king open that again.

As for Atobe, a part of him is happy because he won't be alone for the night. He would not be caught alive admitting to it but, he's looking forward to being with his new companion.

"She's not my servant and I helped her." he thought. It doesn't stray away from his plan of bragging to his father how he survived the Holidays without his servants.

* * *

Atobe cooks.

He made their dinner.

Yes, that's right. Even if he's probably never touched a kitchen utensil his whole life, Atobe's cooking is rather excellent. Nothing less is to be expected from a perfect king like him after all... even if there'd be a lot of people who'd expect a total mess on the thought of Atobe cooking.

The two of them were on the dining table, Atobe sitting on his usual place, the place where the head of the household is supposed to sit ant to his left is (first name). Atobe thought that there's no reason to be all formal.

"Atobe-san, I've been wondering this whole time but... are you alone in this house?" the girl asked, seeing nobody else were the except them. It was even Atobe who made dinner.

"Aaahn. Yes I'm alone."

"Would you mind if I asked why?" the girl tried not to hit any sore spot, as she sensed that there really is one somewhere.

She thinks that it doesn't take an expert to tell. THE Atobe Keigo, all alone in a big mansion is just impossible. Unless it's made possible by the person who has the power to make the impossible possible. She thinks that if Atobe can make a festival out of nowhere just to dedicate it to a friend, it wouldn't be impossible for him to send all his servants away if he wanted to.

"I made a bet," well, it wasn't really a bet but Atobe can put it that way, "with my father."

The girl gave that look of wanting to hear more but averted her eyes away from Atobe when she realized that she's in no position to ask further.

Anyhow, Atobe went on. If he kept it secret, what's the point of having her company?

"My parents were always away abroad. I used to come with them but it started to affect my studies so I was sent back here in Japan to settle."

The girl looked up from her plate and put on that "I'm ready to listen to you" look.

"Where was the last school you attended before Hyotei?" she asked, curious.

"King's School in England."

The girl, not even able to fathom how far that place could be from Japan, slowly nodded, "Please continue."

Atobe liked the girl's company. She probably is the person who he likes to talk to best. He always wanted to talk to someone who'd listen to him with interest but would not let him do all the talking. He usually talks to Kabaji about things like this but he knows that Kabaji, despite being his best friend, would not say much.

Atobe sighed. There's no point in talking about his life now. It's rather repetitive. His parents leaves him, he plays tennis and does a damn good job at it, and he can count using the digits of his hands the number of times that he saw his parents in his fifteen years of life and he even has a few fingers to spare.

"Well, I made all my servants go home for the season and I'm left alone here. I want to prove to my father that I can get by without their service. I'm always with them. Its safe to say that I've spent way more time with my servants rather than my parents. They were never present for Christmas, ever since," Atobe cut the story short.

The girl, despite what little Atobe has said, understood the situation and smiled at Atobe.

"What are you smiling about?" Atobe asked wondering why the girl smiled like that.

He at least expected her to say something like he's so pitiful and that he needs more loving or something like he should try to understand his aparents more, not like that's what he wanted to hear. That's how people would normally react, at least that's what he thought.

"Atobe-san, you're unexpectedly kind, aren't you?" the girl said without hesitation.

Atobe looked at the girl, confused.

"I think it's not because you made a bet with your father."

"What are you talking about?"

The girl drank some water then smiled at him again.

Atobe's heart skipped a beat again, "what's with her?" he thought.

"Could it be that because you don't want their loved ones to feel the same as you that's why you sent them home? I mean, you said it yourself. Your parents were never really able to celebrate Christmas with you and now, you don't want the same thing to happen to the people who were there for you when your parents weren't around. Or maybe, you don't want your servants' children feel bad about their parents just like you do. Sorry if I'm talking so much but, no matter how I look at it, that's how I see it. Anyhow, Atobe-san, that's very kind of you," the girl ended her sentence with another smile which was able to somehow paint a slight blush on the king's cheeks.

Atobe laughed loud. He never saw those words coming. Him? Being as kind as that? "HEH," he thought.

"Atobe-san..." the girl's tone became rather serious which made Atobe stop laughing, "could it also be that the reason why you kept me for the night is that... you are lonely?" Her sudden seriousness reminded Atobe of Fuji Syuusuke and how he can suddenly shift from being all gentle to that scary tone.

Atobe laughed and shook his head lightly.

"You are smarter than you look," he said, standing up, wanting to end the conversation hanging there but implied that she's right, that he's lonely being all alone in that big mansion and that exactly was the reason why he "forced" her to stay for the night.

"I'll help with the dishes." the girl volunteered.

"No need. I can handle it," though, Atobe doubted that. "Do you want to take a shower? You're taking the guest room, there's heated shower there. Feel free to use it. Follow me, I'll take you to your room." Atobe left the kitchen and the girl followed him.

Atobe hoisted the girl's backpack on his right shoulder and led her upstairs to the guest room.

* * *

The girl gaped in amusement as she saw the extravagant room before her.

"Is this... really just..."

"Just a guest room." Atobe continued the girl's sentence as he entered the room and dropped the girl's bag onto the bed and started orienting her of the room.

"That door there is the bathroom. If you want to take a bath, feel free to use it. This room was used just a few days ago so the sheets were newly changed, you don't have too worry about dust," that was all Atobe has to say so he left, "By the way, if ever you need something, my room is just four rooms away from here to the right. I'll go back downstairs to clean the dishes."

Yes, Atobe's reason for taking his visitor early to her room is that so she won't see him break a plate or fail in doing the kitchen job. He's sad and being all kind but he still has an image to keep.

When he left, the girl laid down on the bed but not yet ready to sleep.

"Atobe-san is so nice. He's different from the words I hear from others," she thought.

She made a loud, frustrated sigh after. She just realized the pinch she's in. After this night when Atobe was kind enough to keep her, she will have to find a way to return home without her money. She thought of borrowing money from Atobe but threw the idea right away. Atobe has been so kind to her from the start and she doesn't want to seem like she's abusing it even if that's not her intention.

Her belongings were all stolen. Her three bags: the tennis bag that contained her rackets, balls, Rikkai uniforms, wallet that contained all her money, and the most important of all, an envelope that contained a scholarship grant from a school that she apparently forgot the name. That bag being stolen damaged her the most as it contained three of her most important stuff: her money, her scholarship, and her sport. The backpack that contained all her school stuff, her books and notebooks. She brought them all home since she won't be needing them the next time she'll come back to Tokyo, And the other bag that contained all her clothes.

The bag that contained all her clothes.

She blushed as she remembered how she rummaged through her bag in front of Atobe only to find out that the bag that was thrown over Atobe's fence contained only her undergarments, toiletries, and the charger of her phone and the fact that Atobe's been carrying her bag for her since he got it off the pear tree until he placed it on the bed. It was nothing really of a big deal since she never really opened her bag in front of him but she's wondering if Atobe's insight knew that she had a broken wrist, could it be that he knew that her bag contained her undies?

All she was able to do was hope that his insight doesn't work on bags that contains underwear.

"Um... Atobe-san...?" the girl tentatively peeked into he kitchen. There she saw Atobe standing by the sink, who was rather happy that he has yet to break anything.

"What is it?" Atobe did not even bother to turn around to look at the girl. He just let his lean back do all the talking with that white ruffled apron that x-ed on his back and that ribbon that was tied loosely at his waist. Peasant's work clothes, as he says.

"Uhm... I... have a problem..."

"Yes you do, you just got robbed. Your money and majority of your belongings were taken."

"It's about something else..." the girl started to blush and at the same time, running out of words to say to put the situation she's in a not so embarrassing manner.

"There's still more?"

The girl jerked when Atobe turned around to face her from across the kitchen.

"Ah... My bag..." the girl fidgeted again. She's feeling uncomfortable to ask anything from the king now.

"Aahn?"

"How should I say this?! Atobe-san is so nice, I can't afford to ask him anything more!" the girl screamed internally.

"Uhm, nevermind. Sorry for disturbing you." she's rather not take a bathe for the night than disturb Atobe more.

The the girl started her way back only to stop in the middle of her first step when Atobe called.

"Do you need spare clothes?"

The girl's blood rushed to her cheeks and she can feel her ears burn when she heard Atobe say that in such a casual manner.

"Ah... Y-yes." it took all her might to anwer Atobe but she somehow managed to. She's already reached the match point of the night, the point of no return.

"I thought so." Atobe said as he took off the apron he was wearing and left it on the counter.

The girl's jaw dropped at that.

"HIS INSIGHT WORKED ON MY BAG! HE KNEW THAT IT ONLY CONTAINED UNDIES!" she screamed at the top of her imaginary lungs in her mind.

Anyhow, she wants to make sure,

"How did you know?" she asked as she followed Atobe upstairs.

"Your bag was too light to contain clothes."

They reached the front of Atobe's room. Atobe entered but the girl chose to stay outside since she was not invited in anyway. She will not enter even if she's invited too.

Atobe checked his walk-in closet for something small that would probably fit the smaller girl but found nothing. His clothes all perfectly fit him and his wardrobe is constantly updated since he's a growing teen, his sizes change drastically.

He just picked out a pair of blue pajamas that had an adjustable waist and a white wool sweater.

"This should do."

Atobe then went out of his room and gave the clothes to the girl.

"They're going to be big for you. They're my size after all. I don't have anything smaller, but I hope they'd do,"

"Thank you very much Atobe-san. With all the favor you gave me tonight, I can't think of a way that'd be good enough to repay you." the girl said, her voice brimming with innocence and gratefulness.

Never had Atobe ever heard anything so sincere and not fabricated.

"Good night, Atobe-san."

"Good night, (Last name)."

Atobe watched as the girl's retreating form disappeared on the guest room where she's staying. He sighed and laughed a bit, the type that he makes when he's happy but does not want to express it dramatically.

Atobe has an interesting visitor and he's hoping that he could keep her for a little while longer.

God actually heed his prayer and gave him a reason to not call his servants back. For the first day, that is.

And oh, Atobe had an idea that the bag contained personal belongings like underwear but threw the idea away as he thought that nobody would be stupid enough to put their undergarments in a bag separate from their clothes but the thought still convince him though.

* * *

a/n

I hope you understand why Atobe-kun is ooc here. He might be so until the story ends.


	2. Day 2: Two Purple Gloves

Breakfast.

Atobe cooked.

Thinking about just bread, bacon, and sunny-side-up?

No. Atobe is more than that.

It's actually the most usual breakfast that his servants make for him. Burgundy stake. Who said Atobe can't cook his favorite food? Again, expect no less from the king.

It's about time we accept the fact that Atobe can cook, do the dishes, and can get really nice towards strangers if he wanted to.

The two of them are on the dining table sitting on the same spot they did the night before.

Atobe is already dressed for the day. He looked spick-and-span in his teal colored shirt worn under a dark blue wool sweater whose buttons were left open and a pair of blue denim pants. Needless to say, sell all the garments he's wearing and you might have the enough money to go aboard a cruise ship, exaggeration aside.

The girl, on the other hand, is still in Atobe's pajamas that the king lent him last night and looked slightly disheveled. Its not like she woke up late, she actually woke up earlier than Atobe but was hesitant to get out of the guest's room. The owner of the house is not even up yet. It'd not look good if she'd wander around the house while Atobe's still sleeping. She did not get out of the room for about an hour or two until Atobe knocked on her door telling her breakfast is ready. That's when she realized that it's just as embarrassing as getting out of the room early. She never intended to have Atobe call her for breakfast. Never.

It seems like that whatever the girl does, it'd feel awkward. All because of the following reasons: 1. She and Atobe were total strangers to each other. 2. Atobe helped her more than enough. She could easily return the favor if it was just about Atobe letting her get her bag that was thrown over his fence but, for Atobe to invite her in, treat her injured wrist, feed her dinner and stop her from travelling in the night without her money, provided he shelter for the night and even lent her some spare clothes. With that much, she cannot think of a way that's good enough to pay the king back. 3. Atobe is way too kind. She has heard many rumors about Atobe being all egocentric, narcissistic and the faintest one would be, Atobe being a lady killer among the wives in Osaka but none of these seem to be true, judging from the way Atobe treated her.

"You are leaving today, aahn?" Atobe was the one to start the conversation.

"Ah!" Thew girl jerked when she was snapped out of her thoughts by Atobe's question, "Yes. Yes I am. Thank you so much for everything!"

She sighed as got herself together before continuing, "Atobe-san, last night, I told you that with all the favor you gave me, I can't think of a way that's good enough to repay you..."

"Well, about that," Atobe said as he put down his teacup.

The girl blinked, suprised of Atobe's response. She was about to say that if he'd not mind, she'll come back after the vacation and bring him something probably a souvenir or a gift from her home in order to make up for the favors he gave her.

"I have a proposal." Atobe looked at the girl, "It's a way that's good enough to repay me. Let's have a deal..." Atobe stopped then continued "...you don't keep debts for long, right?"

The girl got nervous of that and at the same time, amazed by the fact that Atobe remembers one of the earliest words she said to him when they were still outside the house. Many possible scenarios crossed her mind like a tornado but she chose to suppress it, stayed calm so that she can face whatever is coming next with a right mind.

"I'll... I'll think of it," she tentatively responded.

"It's rather sudden for me to ask," Atobe began.

The girl kept keen attention to their conversation. If the proposal would be good, then she might actually consider it in order to repay Atobe for soonest possible she can.

"Last night, when you told me that you cannot think of a way that's good enough to repay me, I was actually waiting of you to say that you'd do anything but you never did. Because if you said those, then I won't have to put it this way," the girl found Atobe's intro rather ambiguous, making her focus more on every word that the king says.

"What is this deal then, Atobe-san?" the girl thinks that there's agony in waiting, so she just asked Atobe right away.

Now, be awed by Atobe's deal-making.

"Stay with me until the afternoon of the twenty-fourth of this month and I'll pay for the fastest possible way for you to be home for Christmas with your family.

The girl hesitated for a bit, trying to make the words sink deeper into her mind.

''Atobe-san..."

"Aahn?"

"Do you really like hurting yourself? I heard that you were an egoist but never a masochist, not in the sexual way though."

"Where are you getting at?"

"Atobe-san..." the girl sighed as she tried to find the right words to say to the king before him, "isn't it lonely enough to be on your own like you did yesterday?"

Atobe laughed.

"It is, right?" the girl somehow possessed the ability to cut Atobe's laughter.

"Why do you think I'm asking you to stay with me, aahn?" somehow, Atobe knew that the girl has read him, even if he's trying not to this is one of the reasons why he liked her company, as he didn't need to be very verbal of the things he wanted to be noticed.

"I see. So I'm right. But... seriously, Atobe-san to really ask someone to keep you company until the afternoon of the twenty-fourth... won't it be lonelier?"

"How so?"

"Let's say, I agreed to stay with you then leave you on the afternoon of the twenty-fourth, wouldn't it be the same as not having me at all? I mean, You will be left alone again. This time, for the Christmas Eve and Christmas day. It's like finding the end of a rainbow but with no pot of gold."

"So?"

"So? What good is there in having me stay with you until the afternoon of the twenty-fourth when you will still be alone on Christmas Eve and Christmas day?"

Atobe chuckled, "again, you are smarter than you look (last name) ,"

"Thank you,"

"Well, let's just say, being alone in Christmas Eve and Christmas day is far better than being alone for ten days."

"Atobe-san..." the girl gave out a light yet exasperated sigh. There's no way she can win an argument with this guy even if she's on the correct side.

Atobe looked at the girl with that undying smug look on his face.

"I like your company." is the reason that Atobe will never speak out loud and probably why he asked the girl into that deal.

"I assure you that you'd be home for Christmas Eve. Don't worry, the great me never breaks his words," that was Atobe's final bargain.

The girl sighed again, scratching her not-really-itchy nape.

"Deal."

Atobe was really happy but his face only showed a minute part of it. He just smiled and then continued eating his food.

"We're heading out after this." he said, now more comfortably, knowing that his visitor has agreed to stay with him. He knows that he's still doing her a favor and he's taking advantage of the fact that the girl is too grateful of him to say no.

"Eh? Where?" the girl thought that she might not finish her breakfast without choking, as she always gets shocked everytime Atobe starts a conversation. She should get used to it, she thought. She'll be living with Atobe for ten more days.

"I can't let you wear my clothes for ten days. That'd be so cheap of me."

"That's right... BUT! Atobe-san! I don't have the money to buy new clothes!"

"You really like wearing MY clothes, don't you?" that was the finishing attack from the king.

The girl thought about it. She borrowed Atobe's clothes last night and got really embarrassed doing so. If she'd continue wearing his clothes for ten days, it'd be too awkward in every sense. But on the other hand, she thinks that it would be just as embarrassing as having Atobe buy her clothes, even if Atobe knew how all her clothes were stolen yesterday. There really is no way around the bush if the bush is all around you.

"TO HELL WITH THOSE ROBBERS!" her inner banshee screamed inside her head.

"You're making my debt grow larger, Atobe-san. He he he..." she said uncomfortably.

"You are paying well, so it's fine," Atobe replied in that super arrogant (if that's how you'd put it) tone which made the girl blush.

Their breakfast ended like that. The girl is into some kind of a deal with Hyotei's Boys' Tennis Club's captain, Keigo Atobe and Atobe already found the reason to not call his servants back.

Atobe did the dishes after refusing the girl's help and telling her to just get ready for shopping instead.

* * *

It's ten in the morning and the two of them were on their way to the "mall" that Atobe said they were going to shop at.

"Atobe-san..." the girl said in a low yet nervous voice.

"Aahn?"

"How old were you again?" she turned to Atobe.

"Fifteen."

"And you can drive a Lexus?"

"I can also pilot a helicopter."

The girl let out a frustrated grunt. It seems like she's starting to loose that so formal and shy attitude towards the king now.

"That's not what I mean! DO YOU EVEN HAVE A LICENSE?" she tried to not shout the last sentence but her voiced rose it's volume in every word as she tightened her grip on the material of the seatbelt across her chest.

"I am Atobe Keigo."

That left the girl dangling on the cliff, frozen in a block of ice. He is Atobe Keigo. THE Atobe Keigo. Why did she even bother to ask? Of course, THE Atobe Keigo can do everything he wishes. He can drive every car he wants, fly every helicopter he wants, man every ship he wants, cook every dish he wants, wash every plate he wants, treat every broken wrist he wants, and ask every person to stay if he wants. After all, he is Atobe Keigo.

The door of the passenger's seat opened and a hand with a white glove reached out for her to take. By instinct and not fully aware of it, she took the hand and stepped out of the car.

When she got out, he saw Atobe standing outside the passenger's seat, talking to a man in maroon and gold uniform. Atobe gave the car keys to the man and the man got inside the car and drove away.

"Va- valet... parking? Valet parking!? Where are we?! Is this a hotel?" she asked frantically.

Atobe sighed, "this is a mall!"

"Ah? Is it? Then why the valet-"

"All the establishments owned by the Atobe Conglomerate have valet parking," Atobe said as he led the way.

"Good morning, Atobe-bocchama!" the guards said in unison as they stiffened more their already stiff posture.

"Right," the girl remembered, "he is Atobe Keigo. I will never get used to this. Not like I have to anyway."

"We'll get your clothes from here," Atobe told the girl after giving the guards the gesture that says he noticed them.

"From... here?" the girl's voice faded as she looked up the grand ceiling of the mall.

Everything is elegant, it seemed like a place that no commoner can enter. All shops bear the names of brands that no simple person can afford unless he saves a year's worth of money. Well, that was just an exaggeration. She actually meant a year's worth of her allowance.

"No..."

"Aahn?"

"No. I mean, no! No! No! Atobe-san! Are you even serious?! To actually shop here for my clothes?" The girl started to whine but tried to keep her voice low because she doesn't want to make a scene.

"How long do you intend to make me stay with you?! If staying with you for ten days pays for all the favor you gave me last night, just think of how long I would need to stay with you if we buy clothes here? No, Atobe-san. We are not buying anything here. I can't possibly pay you even if I stay with you for the rest of my life!" then again, one of her exaggerations.

"Will you?" Atobe said, not really meaning to provoke her.

The girl blushed, "that's why I don't want you to buy the clothes here, I said. I don't want to be indebted more to you, I said."

"Just get what you like so that we'll get this over with. The longer you keep on whining about not wanting to buy your clothe here, the longer we're going to be inside this mall. Don't worry about the expenses, I will not make you pay for days is ten days" Atobe said as he led the way, this time entering a store that bore an American brand.

The girl did not follow. She just stood outside.

"Atobe-san!"

"(Last name), are you going to enter, or not?"

"Not!"

"(Last name)!"

"No."

"Atobe-bocchama, what's the matter? Do you need help?" a saleslady approached Atobe.

"Could you please find the right clothes for her- Hey! (Last name)!" Atobe hurriedly went outside the shop when he saw the girl walking away fast from the shop.

Being the tennis player that he is, Atobe is also fast on his feet. So he caught up with her with no problem.

"Sorry, Atobe-san. But you can never make me choose anything from here. They're all expensive, it wouldn't take a genius to tell."

Being the tennis player that she also is, the girl was able to keep up her fast paced walking until she reached a random place in the mall that seemed to be a shop that specialized on making MTO stuffed toys.

"What's this place?" the girl muttered under her breath.

"Good morning maam!" the three salesladies greeted the girl which she gave a polite bow in response.

"You should have told me that you wanted stuffed animals," Atobe said as he reached where the girl is standing, patted her head with a heavy hand and pushed her into the store's direction.

"Atobe-bocchama! Good morning!" the salesladies were rather startled, to see Atobe come today, on a shop like theirs.

"N- no!"

"Cut the whining." Atobe said as they finally entered the shop.

Inside the shop are a wide array of stuffed animals displayed on stalls and hung on the walls. The counter had many clear books displayed, which the girl assumed to be catalogs of the stuff they sell.

"We-we-we have a contest for this week, sir,' one of the salesladies nervously began. It's not everyday THE Atobe Keigo enters a shop like their's. Not like he ever does.

"Aahn? And that contest would be?"

"The customers are allowed to design a stuffed toy which will be made according to their instructions. It will be displayed on that rack over there," the saleslady pointed to the rack in front of the counter. It already has four entries, which are all cute, if the girl would describe them, "customers and even non customers will be allowed to vote for the stuffed toy which they like most. The winning design will be included for the company's next line stuffed animal designs. The naming right will also be given to the designer. The winner will be announced six days from now."

"Aahn... (Last name)! Join on my behalf!" Atobe demanded like a kid.

"EEEEH?! Me?! No- no way!" the girl started retreating but was caught by the collar by Atobe.

"It's the least you can do for me today, you see. You refused to choose any clothes, now you're also refusing to design a stuffed toy? You are rather cruel, aren't you?" Atobe taunted.

"Are you really that determined to join it?" the girl said, trying to "softly" retaliate.

"Yes." Atobe replied nonchalantly.

"I wasn't expecting to hear that." the girl murmured, "Then why don't YOU join?"

"Because I'd win for sure. That'd be boring."

"And you think I'd lose?" the girl replied, voice brimming with sarcasm.

"You have the tendency that I don't."

Veins popped on the girl's head with that reply.

"Fine!"

"Register her please." Atobe said to the saleslady as he laughed inside his brain.

"This way maam, please." the same saleslady escorted the girl to the counter. She gave her a sketch pad, a pencil, eraser and coloring materials. She then led her to a desk on the corner of the shop and left her there to begin with her design.

"To actually make me do something this abrupt, what a guy," she said in her mind as she looked at Atobe who's sitting at a chair adjacent to her desk, probably where the customers are made to sit when they are waiting for their stuffed toys being made.

The girl stared at the blank paper as she tried to think of an inspiration. She thinks that she can't possibly compete with those entries that were already displayed. They're all too cute. She considered listing all their attributes that made them cute and came up with a sketch that exceeded all those features but she didn't find the design attractive at all. It's pretty obvious that the reason why she came up with the design is to beat those four in every aspect that they're "good" at.

"If it doesn't even please me, how would it even please others?" she muttered under her breath as she tore off the design that she first made.

"And you should put my pleasure into consideration too. You joined in my behalf after all," Atobe said as he snatched away the page that was taken from the sketchpad.

He got rather impressed on the illustration that he saw. There were two white rabbits. One obviously a male and the other a female. The female rabbit is wearing a green checkered dress that had a voluminous layered skirt, a red ribbon on it's right ear and is holding a red box that had a yellow bow above it-a present. The male rabbit wore brown pants, a white dress shirt worn under a vest of the same material as the female rabbits' dress and wears spectacles and is holding a carrot that has a bow tied on it.. The male rabbit reminds Atobe of a gentleman.

"It's beautiful," Atobe did not say this part loud, "why are you discarding this?" Atobe asked, pointing the paper to the girl.

"It's made out of the reason to outstage the four other entries. One look, that design is beautiful. But putting the finished products on that rack will prove it's unhealthy reason of creation. Ha ha ha you might not get it, but that's how I feel." she replied without meeting Atobe's eyes.

"Atobe-san..."

"Aahn? Need help?"

"If I could ask, I should have asked you before I began. Only one person can make a design. Sign up if you want to design too."

"You'd absolutely lose if I'd join."

"Sorry for not being as great as you."

"Forgiven."

The girl dumped her face on the sketch pad on the desk, "how can he be so nonchalant?"

Now she understands why word always had it that Keigo Atobe had the ego and arrogance that's about the size of the universe. Pretty small for that matter, the thinks. But she feels that even with that, they are still wrong. She still believes that Atobe isn't as bad as the rumors say.

"I'll be back. Wait for me here when you're done, aahn?"

"Haaaai..." the girl did not even bother to lift up her head to see Atobe leave. When she did, Atobe is not anywhere in her sight anymore.

* * *

Atobe is somewhere in the mall's lobby, talking to someone on the phone.

"Hello? Atobe, you called? Do you need anything?" a teammate's voice spoke from the other end of the line.

"Gakuto, I need you to do something," Atobe's voice is rather authoritative, well, it's always like that. But it's safe to say that Tezuka's held more authority. It took the person he's talking to by surprise.

"What is it?"

* * *

It's been an hour and a half but the girl has yet to come up with a design. She even decided to just go on with the two rabbits which she made first but she found out that the first design she made is nowhere to be found.

"Maybe the staff picked it up together with the other scratch papers," she thought. It's possible. She's used too much paper already and her scratches are all over her desk and one of the shop's staff already threw them away for her in order to make more space for her to work on.

She let out a loud sigh.

"It's really tough working without an idea or inspiration in this matter," she turned to look at the four entries that were on the display, they are all very cute, she felt like surrendering there and now, even if it's her first time.

"If only Atobe-san did not force me to join..."

"Ma'am?" one saleslady asked from the counter.

"Y-yes?" she turned to see the person calling her, "is my time over already?"

"There's no time limit in making the designs maam, please take your time," the lady in the counter smiled kindly at her.

"Oh, that's good to hear," really, it's good to hear for her. For her, it'd be a shame if she lost by "default".

To her, losing comes in three levels. The honorable one, losing after trying hard; the disgraceful one, forfeiting without pushing one's ability to the limit; and the shameful one, losing without even having the chance to try, losing by default. Though, it must be noted that she's from Rikkai, it's safe to say she hates to lose.

Tennis players on the middle school circuit sure are something else.

''Maam, wold you mind if I asked you a question?" the lady in the counter continued from where she started.

"Ah? Sure, go ahead. What is it?"

"Are you, by any chance, Atobe-bochamma's girlfriend?"

The girl blinked twice after hearing the question, laughed a bit and replied: "I'm not."

"Oh. But..."

"Please don't get it wrong," the girl said politely, "we are just returning favors. It seems like both of us hate to keep debts unpaid for long."

Whether the saleslady got the point of that or not, she just bowed politely back at the girl and left her to continue with her work.

"Now, going back. Where was I again?" asked herself.

"Oh, shit, I'm still at nowhere," her inner banshee screamed in frustration when she realized that it's going to be two hours twenty minutes from now and she has yet to come up with any design.

"Atobe-saaaaaan..." She dropped her head on the sketch pad.

Then the idea crossed her head.

She smiled as she realized the image in her mind.

"Nice one," she murmured as she drew on the sketch pad her entry which involved a rabbit figure and some gray colored pencils. After she made the design, she was asked to choose the materials that would be used in making the stuffed toys. She has no idea on the materials so one of the staff sat with her and helped her choose from their catalogs.

It took her about another forty minutes to finish her "masterpiece" and gave it to the lady on the counter.

"I'm done!" she said happily as she approached the counter.

"Thank you for the hardwork, maam. We'll have this design made today and it should be displayed by afternoon around two p.m. We'll call you for for the announcement of winners on the 21st of December,"

"Uhm, how are you going to contact me?" seriously, she didn't even write her name on the design nor fill out any registration.

The lady on the counter showed her HER registration form that Atobe filled out for her. She read all of it's contents only to find out that it was only her name that belonged to her there. The home address, e-mail address and other contact information were all not hers but she was smart enough to know that those might be Atobe's.

The girl just nodded. She's not excited to win anyway so there's really no need to make a fuss over that. She just made the design without even thinking of the competition. After all, it was Atobe who wanted to join the contest, not her.

"I can't leave yet... Atobe-san told me that he'll be back." she said in her mind. "Uhm, Can I stay here for a while? I need to wait for Atobe-san," she asked the lady on the counter, hoping that she'd let her stay.

"Sure maam." the lady in the counter replied shortly and left maybe to deliver her design to whoever who will make it behind the closed door at the corner.

She went back to the desk where she was previously working and waited there, spending her time looking at the beautiful fluffy creations that filled the shop.

"Come to think of it... where could Atobe-san be?" she questioned herself.

* * *

"Gakuto, let's go to the sportswear department. This is the last stop," Atobe said as he led the way, Gakuto trailing behind him, both hands full of shopping bags.

"What?! Just when I thought we're done! Why the sportswear? I thought we'd only shop for HER clothes?" Gakuto knew who he was talking about, Atobe told him about his interesting visitor.

Apparently, since the girl won't choose any clothing article from the mall, Atobe took the initiative himself to shop for her clothes, with Gakuto's "special" help of course. The day will never end if he'd force her to choose what to buy as it became clear to him that no matter how he'd ask her to just choose her preferred clothes and tell her not to worry about the expenses, that girl would be just so adamant about not making Atobe spend anything for her. Atobe on the other hand won't back down with his offer, they will never leave the mall unless they have what they came there for.

"It's still for her. She's a tennis player." Atobe repleied to Gakuto, who was at a nearby bench, dropping the shopping bags so he can "help" Atobe like how he does this whole time.

"A tennis dress?" Gakuto said as he joined Atobe who's standing before the display of branded sports clothing.

"How does the uniform of Rikkai Dai girls' tennis club look like?" Atobe replied, eyeing the garments.

"They wore shirts and skorts. Same bumblebee color scheme though," Gakuto replied. It took him a few seconds to add, "don't tell me you haven't seen Rikkai's girls' tennis club play yet?"

"I don't leave the courtside during tournaments just in case you guys fuck up the games, I'd be there to grace you with my presence," that was rather harsh but it was only meant to say that unlike the other regulars who can roam around the area when it's not yet their match, Atobe needs to stay on the courtside until the last match because it's what captains are supposed to do. Because of that, he has yet to see any of the girls' tennis matches, even for Hyotei's girl's tennis club team, since they are held on a different court but during the same time as the boys'.

"At least you know that Hyotei's got a girls' tennis club too, right?" Gakuto tried to check if Atobe knows about that.

"What do you think, aaahn?"

The aaaahn part scared Gakuto because Atobe made it sound like he's annoyed. Not like Gakuto is ever afraid of Atobe except when they are in court but right now, he can't just get into bad terms with him, specially now that he's "helping" him shop.

A salesman approached Atobe and Gakuto. Atobe pointed to three types of articles, the first one being a short-sleeved, royal blue-colored tennis dress, the other a skirt-and-shirt pair with white skirt and red jersey shirt and the last one, a shorts-and-shirt pair with black shorts and a yellow shirt, the color scheme of Rikkai. He also included a pair of white wristbands and socks.

"Do your job, Gakuto." Atobe ordered as he sat on the bench where Gakuto left the shopping bags.

"You've shortened my lifespan by ten years in just a matter of two hours, Atobe."

"At least it's a life well-wasted."

What's Gakuto's job anyway?

Atobe called Gakuto not to become his baggage carrier. But while he's there, Atobe made him one too. but Gakuto's real job is, to fit the clothes in the girl's stead. Yes. For two hours now, Gakuto has been fitting into blouses, skinny jeans, shirts, shorts, coats, sweaters, pajamas, and now, tennis jerseys that are all for girls'. He regretted coming there but it's too late to turn back now.

Atobe resorted to asking for Gakuto's help since his visitor just won't cooperate. He grabbed the chance while she's still at the stuffed toy shop, busy with her design. But right now, he's wondering if she's done. He checked his watch and found that it's already twelve noon, he should get back to her as soon as possible.

"As soon as possible?" Atobe repeated the last thought his mind had and shook his head.

"Atobe, you better be feeding me this lunch! How about this!?" Gakuto said as he stepped out of the fitting room, wearing the royal blue tennis dress. If not for his girly features, he would become the laughing stock of everyone around them.

Well, everyone's just thinking like, he's Atobe's tomboyish girlfriend and now their shopping for some real girl's clothes. Not bad.

"She's about your size. You judge it. I have great taste, so the design would surely suit her. I'm leaving the sizes to you. And while you're at it, I'll look for her shoes,"

"Mind you, except for the tennis outfits and footwear, it was me who chose all that's inside those bags," Gakuto pointed out, as a matter of fact.

"You have a sister, at least you have an idea on how girls choose their clothing."

"And you don't?"

"I'm the only Atobe heir."

"That's not really needed."

"You are around (Last name)'s size. Anything else you want to say?" Atobe left for the footwear section.

"Why does he care so much for a girl she only met last night?" Gakuto murmured

It's safe to say that Atobe did not tell him everything.

* * *

"Twelve-thirty but Atobe-san's still not here," the girl sighed. She regretted why she returned the sketchbook right away, she could have killed her time doodling.

Feeling that she's being a bother to the shop, she decided that she should leave and just wait for Atobe somewhere near the shop but not inside it anymore.

"Uhm... I'm leaving. Thank you for letting me stay," she said as she bowed and took her leave after the staff thanked her for coming.

She went out of the shop, sighing. She pinched the bridge of her nose because it's been feeling uncomfortable due to the scent of the shop that she cannot understand. While she's walking, she bumped into somebody.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she apologized while repeatedly bowing.

Yes, it's Atobe.

"Why are you outside?" Atobe asked her. The girl rose up when she realized that it was Atobe and not someone else.

"I thought I was being a bother to the shop to actually stay there for two hours. They're not a daycare center or anything alike, you know?" she replied.

"Atobe! Would you at least help me with these?" Gakuto entered the scene.

"Atobe-san, you should have told me that you'd be out for a date, I would have just stayed inside the shop longer. Besides, why did you even take me here when you actually have a date?" the girl told Atobe when she saw Gakuto's effeminate features.

"I will never go out on a date with Gakuto even if he becomes a girl," Atobe replied but it seemed more like a statement directed to Gakuto who's now having a hard time keeping his shoulders up from all the shopping bags on both hands.

"Yah, so much to hear from the one who actually asked me to come here," Gakuto rolled his eyes at Atobe, "Hi, I'm Gakuto Mukahi, third year, Hyotei regular. Nice to meet you," his tone was friendly when it came to the girl though. A "you don't really need to brag out your regular spot at a time like this" can be heard in the background, courtesy of Atobe.

"Ah! I'm (Last name, First name), nice to meet you too!" the girl returned the pleasantries.

"(Last name)? As in... (Last name, First name)?! The captain of Rikkai Dai's girl's tennis team?" Gakuto's jaw dropped together with the shopping bags. He just met someone who carries a heavy title in the court that Atobe never ventured before.

The girl smiled uncomfortably, "Y-yes."

"The Phoenix! Oh my gawd! The captain that was nicknamed the Phoenix! It's you!" Gakuto excitedly spoke as he jumped excitedly in place. It should be fine to get all fanboyish in meeting another school's girls' tennis team captain, they won't meet in the competing courts anyway. It should be fine, even Jirou fanboys over Marui Bunta.

"Phoenix?" Atobe said, more like questioned, as he looked at the girl who's now laughing more uncomfortably, "you didn't tell me that you are the captain of Rikkai's girl's tennis club."

"I... didn't... see... the need to...? Ehehe..."

"This year's champion in the nationals, girls' division. They were able to defend the champion's title for the fourth time!" Gakuto excitedly announced before adding "unlike their boys' team. No offense, Phoenix-san."

"No offense taken. Please don't call me that," the girl timidly responded to Gakuto.

"Hyotei's girls lost to you though," Gakuto continued.

"They were all tough. They played really well."

"Whatever, it's already noon, we'll eat lunch, let's go," Atobe tried to not get affected by the sudden revelation because it shouldn't affect him in the first place.

But it did. He just tries to set it aside by convincing himself that it's a trivial matter. His mind though, keeps on betraying him.

"How about me?" Gakuto beamed, finally it's lunch time and Atobe's paying

Gakuto knows it's surely going to be on a restaurant that's above three star class, that's if Atobe ever eats on three-star restaurants. Even Hyotei's cafeteria became a five-star restaurant upon Atobe's arrival in the school. And also, of course, his chefs are all but world-class

"You asked to be fed, right?"

"You didn't have to put it that way." Gakuto muttered. Anyhow, he went with them.

As Gakuto expected, they ate on a five-star restaurant. After their lunch, Atobe dropped Gakuto home. On their way, Atobe remembered the injury on the girl's left wrist. He ended up driving to the hospital first. The girl protested all along, saying that her wrist is fine and it's not really a big deal at all and that they should just go straight to the mansion. Her protests were left unheard by an Atobe who's made up his mind that she should see a doctor because he said so. They did not take long there though. The doctor said it wasn't anything serious nor fatal and her wrist should be in top condition in four days at most.

* * *

It's already two in the afternoon when Atobe and the girl reached the Atobe mansion.

Unlike Gakuto, Atobe carried all the shopping bags with ease. The girl on the other hand, cannot help but wonder what's inside those bags.

"I want you to fit all these clothes when get inside."

The girl took about five seconds to let every word sink in.

"EEEEEH? You- you- you bought me clothes?!" turned around, wide-eyed at Atobe who in return almost stumbled at her sudden halt.

"What did we came to the mall for by the way?"

"Clothes...? But! But! Bu-"

"You are unexpectedly uncooperative, I wonder if you ever play doubles."

"Sometimes. But that's not the case!" the girl's cheeks became like a video display unit of blush, as her face rapidly turned red. In HD.

"So what's the case?"

"It's-"

"Just get inside. It's getting cold. We'll head straight to your room." Atobe walked past her.

The girl was at loss of words. Atobe did so much for her last night, now he's already is doing too much for her. Now she's back to wondering if there's anything she can do or give him after their ten-day deal. She sighed. There's no way that staying with him for ten days would be enough, according to her conscience at least. Plus, her heart is still heavy on the thought of ending the deal on the afternoon of the twenty-fourth. She finds the end just too cruel and unfair.

"Atobe-san is making this hard for me," she muttered under her breath.

The snow began to fall harder so she ran to the mansion and entered. Atobe has gone inside ahead of her and he's nowhere downstairs anymore. She went straight to the guest room. When she got there, the door is open which means Atobe is already there. When she entered, The shopping bags were all over the bed with Atobe sitting on the chair of the study table that's beside the bed. Its just then when she realized that there were around twenty or more shopping bags, each bearing a name of a brand, some she's familiar with, some she's never heard before. Now she wished that she never knew all of them, as all the brands that she's familiar with are brands that are known to be very expensive.

"Atobe-san..." she said as her weight shut the door behind her when she rested her back on it.

"Just try them on. We can't return them to the stores now. Even if you'd do, they'll not give you any refund." Atobe said as he crossed his legs.

The girl went to where Atobe is sitting and sat on the bed facing him. She had to look up to him, since the bed is lower than the chair. Atobe looked back at her, anticipating another round of thank yous and "I don't know how to pay you anymores"

But this girl always kept on surprising him.

"Atobe-san. Thank you so much. I just realized that one way to actually express my gratefulness to you is to appreciate the things that you do for me. You've given me everything I needed, no, more than I needed even without asking for it." that took Atobe by surprise, he felt weird inside, he felt warm, but he doesn't know where exactly. His heart is racing, but it's different from the ones he have when he's into vigorous training in tennis.

Unknowingly, Atobe smiled at the girl, which the girl returned immediately.

"Try them all on now so that we can still change the sizes if they don't fit you well. I made Gakuto fit them all in your stead since you were uncooperative," well, Atobe sure knows how to destroy moments.

"Okay!" the girl stood up immediately and started her way to the opposite side of the bed.

She picked up one shopping bag, smiled again at Atobe and said, "thank you, Atobe-san."

When she left for the bathroom to try on whatever is inside the bag, Atobe dropped his head back, covered his eyes with his palm and smiled, "God really answered my prayer. He even gave me more than what I needed... I guess."

Atobe was unsure. And mind you, THE Keigo Atobe never gets unsure.

The girl came out of the bathroom wearing a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, a yellow cotton shirt that had green buttefly foil prints on it it's right side worn under a white cardigan.

"Atobe-san, it's lovely!" the girl didn't move so much but it was enough to show Atobe how she looked like in those clothes.

"It is," Atobe nodded and smiled, "on you."

He chose not to say the latter part.

This went on for a few more times. The girl had a variety of clothes, which she thinks is way too much for ten days. She did not tell Atobe that though, as she decided to appreciate all forms of Atobe's help rather than go on refusing them as it became clear to her that there's no stopping Atobe when he says something's so. But the whole time did not pass by without her occasional "thank you's" to the king who's now unconsciously enjoying himself in the girl's company.

All the clothes were tried on and Atobe's judgement was right, the girl and Gakuto had the same body size as the clothes all fitted her well as if she was the one who tried them back at the mall. Calling Gakuto was not a bad idea after all but he's not saying that to the flying acrobat.

All clothes, well, except for the ones in the Addidas paper bag.

"I suppose those are yours, Atobe-san..." she pointed to the white paper bag that remained untouched on the edge of the bed. She went back to sitting on the side of the bed where Atobe is.

"No, those are yours."

"Sports clothing?"

"You are a tennis player, aahn?"

"I am."

"And your tennis bag was stolen."

"Yes?"

"And your other bags too."

"Yes...?"

"And the bag that was left for you contained no clothes,"

"Well, they're all undies, toiletries and cellphone charger," her mind replied. She just smiled sheepishly at Atobe.

"You can't possibly play me when you don't have a jersey, right?"

"Play... you? We're playing?"

"One of these days, we will."

The girl's face lit up upon hearing that. It already depressed her when her belongings were stolen but it depressed her more that her tennis stuff were also taken along.

"Atobe-san..."

Atobe looked at her. He's getting used to being called "Atobe-san..." like that. Before he was even able to fully look at her, two arms were thrown over his neck in an abrupt hug. Abrupt because the girl let go of him right away.

"Thank you so much!"

This time, Atobe wasn't able to keep all of his cool as his blood betrayed him big time by rushing to his face, staining his cheeks a light shade of pink.

The hug left Atobe suspended in the moment because he was speechless. And mind you again, THE Keigo Atobe never goes speechless.

"Ah! That's right!" the girl stood up and got her bag from the floor beside the study table and started to slowly rummage through it, careful to not let Atobe see what's inside it. Her undies.

"What's it this time?" Atobe asked, snapping out of the suspension.

"Hmmm, it's nothing much really because I know you can have something that's a little better than these but..." the girl took out a green, rectangular gift box about the size of a textbook from her bag and handed it to Atobe.

"What's inside this?"

"A gift," the girl replied, "truth be told, it's initially a gift for my cousin's friend back at home. But it's yours now. Please take it."

"Thank you," those words was Atobe's affirmation of acceptance.

However it's put, Atobe accepted it too fast.

The girl looked expectant at Atobe.

"What?" Atobe asked.

"Are you being shy and not going to open it?"

Atobe let out a sigh and opened the box. He stared at its contents for a few seconds before he spoke.

"You made this?"

"Yep! Are they good enough? They're hand-knitted. I learned knitting from an elective class."

Atobe did not respond to that. Instead, he touched the material of the item and looked at the girl.

"Thank you," Atobe smiled, he stood up and chose to get out of the girl's sight before his blood would betray him again.

He closed the door of the girl's room and went straight to his own room. He sprawled himself all over his bed and opened the gift box again, this time, taking out it's contents. It's the first time he's ever received something handmade. He appreciates it very much even if it's originally not for him.

"I will wear these someday," he said as he tried if they fitted.

And they did.

They fitted him perfectly, the two purple gloves.

* * *

a/n

I am 95% sure that I won't finish this fic in time for December 25th, nor any day in December. I have exams this week. Exams=study=can't write=can't update=can't finish on time. And the week after, I have two photoshoots to do with my friend. Photoshoots=prepare=can't write=can't update=can't finish on time. And on the remaining days, I will be out of town with my group of friends for an two-day outing. Still, Outing=planning and all=can't write=can't update=can't finish on time. Plus, I don't think I can post anything there, I doubt if there's internet on the place we're staying. Also, I need to update my SnK fic that's been on a very long hiatus now. Anyhow, I so am the hiatus type of person but never the type to leave it incomplete forever.

Well, about the Atobe being a lady killer among the wives in Osaka, I read that somewhere, maybe on wikia. I don't know how true was that but it's funny. But yeah, I don't thinks that's true in any way.

I might have used some unclear stuff here. Nevermind the review, you can pm me to get them cleared.


	3. Day 3: Three French Men

AND I ENDED UP WRITING THIS CHAPTER INSTEAD OF STUDYING FOR MY EXAMS (AND FINISHING IT INSTEAD OF SLEEPING DURING EXAM HOURS).

-ice

It's not everyday that two names for the middle school tennis circuit would sit down on the same sofa to drink hot chocolate and talk about school matters.

The King, Keigo Atobe

And one of Rikkai Dai's queens, the Phoenix, (First name) (Last name).

But everything is just different inside the Atobe mansion.

The king and the Phoenix are both enthroned at the same sofa, drinking hot chocolate and talking about school matters.

"You said that you will transfer to another school after the Holidays." Atobe said as he rested the cup on the palm of his left hand while his right held it in place.

"Yes, but I forgot the name of the new school. My admission papers were also stolen with my other stuff." the girl felt stupid for admitting how she forgot then name of the school she's transferring to and lost her papers to robbery.

"Are you confident about leaving your team like that?" Atobe is now talking about her captainship of Rikkai's girl's tennis.

"Hmm. The Nationals are over. Rikkai's girls were able to defend its crown thrice under my lead. My job's technically done and over. Besides, after being captain for three years, I can say I have had my share. Captains usually lead a team for only a year."

"I led Hyotei for three years."

"I said usually."

"I'm not wanted there anyway. Ehehehe..." the girl added timidly.

"Not wanted there? How could the captain be not wanted by her team?" Atobe questioned but it will remain unanswered because he chose not to say it.

"My vice-captain hates me, she wants the captain position to herself. I would have given it away if I could, if only the position was not rightfully handed down to me. I don't mind having no position anyway."

"Was it only your vice captain who hated you? It might be impossible to be the captain for two years if everyone hates you."

"Its safe to say it's only her. But she's... how do I put this... more vocal?"

"Do you want to mean loud?"

"Not saying that. But she's MORE vocal than I am and she imposes stuff more than I do. Making her more authoritative than I am."

"Does that remind you of Yukimura and Sanada?"

"Yes. But I must say, I believe Yukimura-san can get as strict as Sanada-san."

"How was your leadership "rightfully" handed down?"

"We were still first years that time. After winning our second consecutive win in the Nationals, our captain and our vice captain are going to graduate. To determine who's the rightful successor of them, we must first play them in matches since we had no second year regular. So the two of us candidates played our leaders. Both of us were able to beat our captain and vice-captain so we ended up with a tie. To break it, our captain decided that my current vice-captain should and I should play each other. Whoever wins takes the captain role and the loser be the vice-captain."

"And I can see how it ended. Well, your captain had an odd way of passing down responsibilities. We at Hyotei believe in meritocracy, but not to that extent. She should have at least forethought of the hatred issues that might come afterwards, throwing you two into a match like that."

The girl just smiled that away, but Atobe chose to probe deeper.

"Is that why you are transferring?"

"Not mainly the reason why. I am a sports scholar back at Rikkai. I managed to get schooling there by playing tennis. But being a sports scholar doesn't always mean winning the games. Modesty aside, whatever title they gave me, Queen or Phoenix, had nothing to do with my being a sports scholar. In fact, it seems like the sport comes in last in that matter. I have a grade to maintain so that I can play. Because if I can't play, my scholarship will be taken down. It still goes back to the grades."

"Simply put, you were failing?"

The girl laughed uncomfortably low, "yes. In arts."

Atobe frowned at that. How can she fail in arts when she can get that good as she did yesterday at the shop? She was even able to come up with a design that can outstage the other four entries, which he would take note, impressed him until she told him about the outstaging issue. Could it be that it's because of the same reason why she had to make another one? Impossible. Atobe believes that she's smarter that she looks and is probably as creative. Atobe just can't fathom the reason why she would fail a subject that even Gakuto could easily pass. Because, after all, one person's art is an art even if the other says it's not, this probably is one of Atobe's principles which doesn't really show.

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why in arts?"

The girl sat silent for a while, thinking if she should just tell Atobe why she failed arts.

"The husband of my Arts teacher works at the company that the parents of my vice-captain runs. I'll leave the thinking of what happened next to you. I bet you know how stuff like that works" she told Atobe anyway. She sees no point in hiding it, it's not like Atobe can do anything about it.

"Do you know the name of the company?" Atobe asked.

"No. Not really. Mai-chan never really talked about anything to me except tennis and how she hates me, ha ha ha."

Atobe was about to say something when the door bell chimed.

"You were expecting visitors, Atobe-san?"

"I'm not." Atobe replied briefly as he stood up from his comfortable seat and went to the monitor beside the door to see who's outside.

Before he would forget it, Atobe made a mental note to ask either Oshitari or Gakuto about the vice captain of Rikkai's girls' team and the company that her family runs. Those two might have ideas, Oshitari being the smartest member of the team after him and Gakuto being a fanboy of Rikkai's girls's team.

For a split second, Atobe thought why'd he even care but set the idea aside. There are people outside his house now.

The girl might just have made a miscalculation on her part the moment she thought that Atobe will not do anything about it.

"I'll take these cups to the kitchen then."

Atobe did not respond to that, he was busy looking at the monitor. He folded his arms across his chest when he saw three unfamiliar men, clad in black suits standing outside the mansion's gate.

"I don't know these guys," he said, deciding to ignore the people standing outside his gate.

He was about to leave the monitor when they rang the bell again, irritated, he pressed a button on the monitor's pad and spoke through the speaker.

"Who are you?"

"We are from the Atobe company in France," One of the blond men replied in a very obvious French accent.

"I don't need any French servants here. I sent all my servants home. Go home!" Atobe replied, more like demanded.

"We are not sent as servants, young master Keigo." another blond man replied.

"So they are not servants, aahn? Must be something else." Atobe pondered.

He pressed the same button again, "Wait there."

()

Atobe let them in the living room, where he used to have a nice time with the girl just a minute ago. Atobe is seated on the sofa, his legs crossed and his arms were folded across his chest, giving off that regal yet rude appearance. He's comfortably seated there but his "visitors" were not even offered anything to drink nor a place to sit. The three French men were standing before Atobe, who's now ready to lash out at them.

The girl on the other hand, who just finished washing the cups that they used, was about to return to the living room but stopped behind a wall when it became visible to her that Atobe had the foreign visitors in black suits.

"Must be business," she whispered to herself. With that, she chose to not come to the living room yet. She'll just stay there if ever Atobe asks her to bring in some food for them.

"Why are you here, aahn?" Atobe asked, keeping his voice stoic. He can't get soft with people like them, knowing that they work for his parents.

"We are here to take you to your parents who are in France. He wants you to celebrate Christmas with them," the shortest of the three men replied.

They're not just regular workers of the company, that's obvious from the fact that they were actually sent to Japan to carry out such task. They are working some place closer, but not as servants.

It was not the girl's intention to eavesdrop but everything can be heard from where she is.

"Well, isn't that good for him?" the girl thought. If Atobe is being all alone in such a big house, the it might just be a good idea to join his parents in France. He said that they were never home for Christmas, this must be their way of making up to him.

"No." Atobe's voice was stern.

"What?!" the girl's inner banshee screamed inside her head. How could he refuse such an opportunity?

"But, young master, it was an order from your parents," one of the three French men replied.

The girl nodded on that, to her, Atobe's parents were clearly making a move to close the gap between them. Maybe. Just maybe. Because she can't conclude anything. She's only known Atobe for three days and all she knows apart from the fact that he's one of the great names in the middle school tennis circuit, is that the king is a kind man who'd take in a stranger like her in exchange for something that doesn't even pay for all the favors he did. Only that and nothing more. She sighed.

"One moment, we are like, as close as a hug, yet we are as far as Pluto and sun." yes, that close because she actually hugged Atobe yesterday, but she actually meant that they are living under the same grandiose roof, (mark the grandiose there) and yet there isn't much that she knows about him, "Damn rhetoric. I will not get a subject like that ever again in my new school. Does Pluto even exist?"

If she had grades to maintain, she must have learned in middle school science that Pluto still exists.

"Whose house do you think are you in today, aaahn?" Atobe began his offense.

"The Atobes', young master," the tallest of the three replied, more like implying that even if Atobe is the master of the mansion as of the moment, it still belonged to his parents. But Atobe knew that, and he'll use it against them.

"And who am I?"

"Keigo Atobe-bocchama..." the man who's been taking the dangerous conversation started to realize that he's losing.

"And you only take orders from?" Atobe slowly dragged them down his path.

"The Atobe family..." the man is in a total loss now, his voice started to fade.

"I can't hear you."

"The Atobe family, young master Keigo."

"And who's the only child of the Atobe family?" Atobe now felt he's winning. Well, he anticipated the win even before they started.

"You are, young master... But-"

"So there it goes! I am Atobe Keigo, you only take orders from the Atobe family, and I, ATOBE Keigo says no," Atobe emphasized his last name like he puts power on heavy balls in tennis.

"Well, it all goes back to the name, eh?" the girl deadpanned, "But seriously, to throw away such opportunity... something must be wrong with this guy."

"But young master! It was an order-"

"I want you to go back to France without me. That's another order. Take it. I am Atobe Keigo."

The girl wanted to laugh at that. But she realized, it's a rather heavy situation that Atobe's in.

"Now, if you can't tell by looking, you guys are wasting my time. I don't care if you are my parents' minions or whatever but you actually wasted about ten minutes of MY time by letting you in here and talk about this nonsense. Now, gentlemen, if won't you mind, which you really won't, I want you to get out of my sight," Atobe stood up, went to the door and opened it for the three men.

The girl wanted to interrupt because she innocently wanted Atobe to be with his parents this Christmas. Well, she doesn't know the whole story. But she chose not to because she knows too well that she's not in the place to make any stand.

The men left the house hesitantly. They failed their task, now their afraid to show their faces to the Atobe couple who are in France.

Atobe on the other hand, closed the door and muttered something about his parents, stupidity and his pride.

''You can get out there now," Atobe turned to the wall where the girl was hiding.

Well, she wasn't really hiding, if she were to put it. It's just that she wasn't able to go back to the kitchen right away. For ten minutes.

The girl showed herself. Deep inside, she wanted to ask Atobe why he declined his parents' calling but chose not to. She decided that it will be better if Atobe brought it up himself but she has to find a way to make him do so. Not because she wants to get the scoop but because she cares. Atobe needs to vent out. Atobe looked at her as she slowly approached him.

"Atobe-san..."

"Aahn?"

"Do you want to talk about it?" she tried to ask, expecting a refusal

Atobe looked flatly at her.

That look made an imaginary lump grow in her throat which she painfully swallowed so she can speak again,

"I'd listen," with the smile that Atobe has unconsciously grew fond of.

"They want me to go to France and spend Christmas with them," Atobe began as he slowly laid down on the sofa, facing up, his left arm covering his eyes, his right leg bent.

The girl sat on the floor just in front of the sofa facing Atobe's laying form, willing to listen to whatever Atobe has to say.

"Then why not ?" the girl did not l et Atobe do all the talking.

"Because it's meaningless,"

"Mind if I asked why?"

Atobe smiled which the girl saw but did not understand why. He still kept his pose like that, hiding his face in his arm but his right leg laid straight now.

"Because I know that they'd only need me for a special function. Maybe for a Christmas dinner with an associate or a date with one of the business partner's daughters. Whatever it is, they're not really calling me for my presence as a son. They're just running out of people to represent the Atobe family in parties."

"What makes you think so?"

Atobe stifled a laugh, "you sure you want to listen to the story? The reason is there."

"I'm sure. Just expect me to forget some details. It's natural, I'm not that sharp. Rest assured though, you'd have my ear 'til the last word."

That made Atobe remove his arm away from his face, turn his head to the side and look at her. His eyes met the girl's, only to realize that their faces were close (no, not THAT close) about fifteen inches apart if he were to gauge. It wasn't that close but it is the closest one he had thus far. The hug from yesterday was not counted because he wasn't even able to realize whats happening when it was happening. His eyes widened at the closeness but he was able to at least keep his cool. Only for a split second though. Atobe's blood sold him out when they rushed to his cheeks. It was a fair game anyway, because the girl's blood seem to have done the same betrayal as well.

To recover from the moment, Atobe loooked back up the ceiling and placed both his arms under his head to use them as a pillow.

"It's really troublesome, you know," Atobe began.

He chose to let lose. He's been longing to do so many years now. He doesn't understand why, but he feels like he can just pour it out without worrying now that he has someone who actually volunteered to hear him out. Not like nobody ever did over the years, but it's just now that someone who he feels so comfortable with came.

"I wonder about the use of that word, Atobe-san. Please begin."

"I grew up in England. That's where we, no, I used to live."

'Wait, you were alone? How about the days when you were still a baby?"

"Servants. They took care of me. That's what they're paid for."

The girl just nodded on that even though she knows that it just sounds so wrong. But she knew better, Atobe doesn't need any scolding now. What he needs is a person to talk to. Even though scolding is still a kind of talking, it's not the type that he needs. Also she felt like Atobe didn't really mean that but he just chose to put it that way.

"Where were your parents?" she asked without hesitation. This whole talk concerns his parents anyway. There's really no need to think of it as a taboo.

"Only God knows where. I usually had no idea where they are unless they take off from home. When I was a kid in England, I heard that they were doing business in Asia. When I started living here in Japan, I often hear that they are doing business in Europe."

"That's weird."

"Must be coincidence."

"Should be. Anyhow, you are well-provided by them, aren't you?"

"Materially."

"Hmmm. Atobe-san, have you tried to appreciate them?" the girl asked, which made Atobe slowly turned his head to the side to look at the girl, careful not to get as close as he did before.

"I did."

"And?"

"My appreciation isn't unlimited," Atobe looked back up before his blood betrays him again because of their distance that has yet to change.

"Putting it bluntly...?" the girl wanted Atobe to be a bit more specific. Its now that she wanted to thank herself for taking up rhetoric, it made her able to read through Atobe's words but she's willing to admit that she's gradually having a hard time.

Atobe hesitated for a bit but proceeds to let it out anyway.

"I want to be with them." Atobe finally said it, that wish he'd wish on every wishing well if he believed in them. He also chose to not tell the girl his life story because he knows it'd be too lame. His want to be with his parents for Christmas is the problem here, not his whole life.

"Then, mind telling me again why you refused going to France?"

Normally, Atobe would have ended the conversation even before it got to this point. But his trust for the girl has grown large enough that he's fine talking to her about his personal life to this extent- the extent that nobody else has ever been to yet.

"You're persistent," Atobe said after a single laugh.

"We develop that in tennis."

"Have you ever tried celebrating your birthday alone?" Atobe asked.

"Yes. Thrice already, since I started attending Rikkai."

"How about Christmas?"

The girl hesitated to answer that. She wondered whether or not it would hit a sore spot if she'll tell Atobe that she's always with her family during Christmas. It's Atobe's family issue after all.

"Nope. Not even once," she realized that it will not help her one bit if she lied, "I might not probably understand what you'll say next but-"

"I've spent fourteen Christmases and fifteen birthdays alone. This year's the fifteenth Christmas," Atobe cut through the girl's sentence.

The girl's voice retreated deep. Unable to say anything, she just looked at her fingers that are sitting on her lap.

"P-please continue," was she she was able to say.

"You're about to cry, you know."

"Would you mind it?"

"Will you blame me?'

"Of course not. I volunteered to listen to you after all. Don't mind me."

"How could I not mind you?" Atobe thought, "Heh, you really are something else," then he went on telling the girl his story.

"The day you came here was also the day that I sent my servants back to their homes. I told you it was a bet, but it really wasn't. But I can's say it wasn't really a bet at all. More like a challenge."

The girl tilted her head, "that was really unclear, Atobe-san."

Atobe paused for a bit and pondered for a way to make the situation clear. Even to him, he's not really sure if it was really a bet or a challenge of some sort.

"Earlier that day, dad called me from France. He told me that they'd not be home for Christmas..."Atobe trailed off then added, "again. It's always like that."

"So that was why you're alone? Even so, I still think that you did it so that their children won't feel sad like you do."

"Do you really think that so? It's actually to prove to my dad that I can get through the Holiday even without my servants. He told me that I already have everything which really pissed me off."

"Don't you?"

"I don't. I'm like a parentless child in my case. Indeed I have this big house, all my servants that take all my orders, and I have all the money I can spend. But I don't have my parents. I'll give away this house, all my servants and money if I have to as long as I can spend even just one Christmas with them. I hate being alone like this. I should have gotten myself used to it but I just can't. Is one Christmas too much to ask?"

One would think that the Atobe who spoke just now might be burning with centigrades of fever and is probably delirious with what he just said. It's never like the Keigo who's the Atobe heir, three-year captain of Hyotei that needed no vice-captain and the self-proclaimed king of tennis to say such things. But to the girl, Atobe Keigo is the Atobe Keigo she knew on that day that her bag was thrown inside the Atobe property and not the Atobe Keigo that she heard when other people talk about him.

"Nobody will ever get used to that, Atobe-san. I understand you," tears welled up the girl's eyes but she worked her best to not let them fall.

Atobe laughed, "That's not something to hear from a person who not even once, alone during Christmas."

"I do, Atobe-san," the girl's voice became a little shaky, which made Atobe turn to look at her, completely ignoring their distance, "the pain I feel here proves it." The girl pointed to her chest.

Atobe can't help but feel moved at the girl's form in front of him. Her eyes are beginning to swell from all those welled-up tears that were held back and the words that she said that are clearly represented by the sad expression on her face. One thing that Atobe has never seen other people do for him before.

Atobe blushed decently at her display of raw emotion. But instead of attending to that, he let it be. He can't afford to look away from the girl. It's not like he liked the pity that the girl showed, it's not him to take a liking on that- whether he's sad or not. He just wanted to look at the girl for no reason.

Or maybe there is. And Atobe is just yet to discover it.

"Don't blame me for that pain, you volunteered to hear me out." Atobe killed the moment for his own good. His heart pounded in his chest harder the longer he stared at the girl.

Atobe looked away from the her just in time a single tear rolled down her cheek. A moment of silence passed between the two before the girl spoke again.

"Atobe-san..."

Atobe loved hearing that line now.

"Aahn?" he did not look at her.

"I'm staying."

"Of course you are."

"Until Christmas."

That made Atobe momentarily lose his pace. before he could react to it, the girl continued.

"I'm staying until Christmas. I'll celebrate it with you. My conscience will kill me if I'd leave you alone on that day!"

"No." Atobe replied flatly.

"Please!" The girl insisted.

"No."

"I don't want you to be alone on Christmas, Atobe-san! Please let that be the last favor you'd do for me!"

Atobe's heart raced harder than it already does on that. Did the girl just said those words? Or was he just hearing things? It can't be. He's sure of what he heard. He's sure that the girl insisted on staying with her until Christmas so that he won't be alone.

"Please, Atobe-san..."

Atobe sat up on the sofa looking down the girl on the floor. His feet both flat on the floor, his elbows resting on his thighs. The girl looked up to him from the floor. He smiled at her.

"You don't have to," Atobe gently patted the girl's head which made her blush.

He appreciates the girl's concern for him. He will never admit it but he really wanted to let the girl stay with him for Christmas. But he knows that the girl has family waiting for her to return on that day too, so he chose to refuse the girl's "request".

"But!"

"You have a family waiting for you in Osaka. I don't want you to throw away the chance to celebrate Christmas with them."

"I'm not throwing it away! I'm giving it away..." the girl stopped to wipe away a tear that's on the verge of falling, "to you. Is the chance to accompany you on that day so much to ask? A day extension shouldn't make that much difference! I promise, I won't be asking anything from you. Just... " the girl hesitated, "just let me make sure you are not alone on that day.''

That made Atobe smile. She's such a sweet girl. The pain inside his chest is getting worse with all the heartbeating, "maybe, just maybe, I like her." But Atobe threw the idea away. "No, I'm just moved by her sincerity. That's all," he mentally shook his head.

"Thank you... but please don't. It'd be very unfair. Having you until the afternoon of the twenty-fourth is good enough for me."

"It isn't!" the girl insisted but was silenced when Atobe patted her head again.

"You are so gentle and soft at heart. It makes me wonder how are you as a queen of Rikkai. How many tarundoru do you get from Sanada on a daily basis, Phoenix-san?" Atobe smiled as he ruffled the girl's hair, even he got surprised how he's doing it so affectionately, "Thank you very much. But I'm happy having you until the afternoon of the twenty-fourth. Maybe I should thank those robbers for throwing your bag over my fence, because of them, I met you."

The girl blushed wildly at that, when she did, that was when Atobe realized what he just said which made him fake a cough and stop touching the girl's head.

"Anyhow, " Atobe "collected" himself again. "A no is still a no. You are going home to Osaka on the afternoon of the twenty-fourth. We'll stick to the deal. Okay?"

With that, Atobe stood up, held out his hand to the girl and helped her stand up. The girl received his hand and rose up.

"I'm not leaving on the twenty-fourth even if you kick me out of the house!" the girl wore a detemined look on her face.

Never giving up. Persistence. The things that tennis taught her.

Atobe just laughed at that and strode away to the stairwell, planning to go to his room. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he said, "You are going home on the twenty-fourth." He said that like it was the girl's sentence after a crime.

"But-"

"Whatever you say, I'm not letting you stay any longer after the afternoon of the twenty-fourth."

"I'll throw my bag over your fence and ring your doorbell again if you'd do that!"

"So you are the type to make the opponent fall for the same trick twice?" Atobe noted.

"I am! And never once have I failed!" the girl knew that Atobe's talking about her tennis," the same thing applies when I argue."

"I'm not the type to fall for the same trick twice." Atobe's replied.

"I'll make one out of you, like I always do with the people who told me that,"

"Why do you even care!?" Atobe snapped, but he didn't really meant to. He knows that they are talking about the girl's sweet plan to stay until Christmas but it seems like his ego that concerns tennis was disturbed with the manner of their argument..

"Atobe-san...'' the girls said in a very low, almost whispering voice as her eyes followed Atobe on foot of the stairs.

"Let's just make the most out of the days that we are together, shall we?" Atobe said as he began climbing up the stairs.

That left the girl half satisfied.

* * *

Atobe went to his room and sat on his bed, his mind is still on the argument he had with the girl just now.

"I do, Atobe-san. The pain I feel here proves it."

"I'm staying until Christmas. I'll celebrate it with you. My conscience will kill me if I'd leave you alone on that day!"

"I don't want you to be alone on Christmas, Atobe-san! Please let that be the last favor you'd do for me!"

"I'm not throwing it away! I'm giving it away...to you. Is the chance to accompany you on that day so much to ask?''

"I'm not leaving on the twenty-fourth even if you kick me out of the house!"

"I'll throw my bag over your fence and ring your doorbell again if you'd do that!"

The girl's words played again and again inside Atobe's head. With all honesty, he could have agreed to what the girl asked, he wanted her presence. He appreciates all the time they spent sitting, talking over everything that crossed their minds. He's even serious when he said that he's thankful of the robbers who threw her bag inside his property because that gave way for the chance of him meeting her.

"Just let me make sure you are not alone on that day.'' that line stuck him most. How could a girl who just met him a matter of days ago care so much? And with as much sincerity?

The idea occurred to him again. This time he did not throw it away.

"I might be in love with her. This is crazy." Atobe dropped his back into the soft sheets of his bed, letting himself get defeated by his suspicion.

* * *

It's already six in the evening but Atobe has yet to get out of his room. The conversation he had with the girl is still sinking deeper into him, down to unfathomable levels. The girl on the other hand is starting to feel hungry. She has yet to eat anything since their cups of chocolate this morning. Her mind is also busy thinking whether she has or not upset Atobe with the words she said earlier that day.

Setting her hunger aside, she remembered that Atobe has yet to come out since he went to his room too. She figured that he might be just as hungry as her. But above anything else, she had the urge to apologize to him for how she behaved.

Being the person that she is, she hesitated at first but then gathered the courage to go upstairs and talk to Atobe.

She stood before the door of Atobe's room, gathering her words but before she could even speak, Atobe went ahead.

"(Last name)?"

"Y-yes! Atobe-san..." She replied, surprised how Atobe knew she's there and wondered if it's about the insight. She doubted it because if it really is, that would make Atobe a human x-ray machine.

"Do you want to resume our argument?"

"N...no. I'm here to apologize," she said as she sat on the floor, her back rested on the door and her knees were gathered near her body.

"For what?"

The girl did not know what to say.

"I... don't know?" was all that she managed.

The girl heard nothing in response, "Atobe-san must find this a non-sense," she thought.

Then suddenly, the door opened inward, making her fall on her back and at Atobe's feet. She scrambled as fast as she could to her feet and almost lost her balance.

"Fine." Atobe said as he watched the girl compose herself.

"Apology accepted?" the girl smiled tentatively.

"No." Atobe replied flatly, "I don't accept apology from a person who don't even know what she's saying sorry for."

That made the girl's smile transform into a flat line.

"But... you just said it's fine? ...what was that for?"

"You can stay until the twenty-fifth. Just make sure to tell your parents. I don't want to be held responsible for any reports about a girl who went missing or anything alike," Atobe said, looking away, trying to contain his blush.

The girl felt ultimately happy.

"Atobe-san..."

If hearing that line would cost him a million yen or more, Atobe swears that he'd willingly pay for an unlimited streaming.

"Aahn?"

"Thank you," the girl bowed formally in front of Atobe.

"No."Atobe began walking towards the girl, "thank YOU." he finished and gave the girl who's still bowing a heavy pat on the head making her loose her balance as Atobe passed by him.

When the two of them were climbing down the stairs with Atobe on the lead, the girl suddenly stopped.

"Atobe-san..."

There goes that line again.

"What is it?"

"I'm hungry."

"Of course you are. You didn't eat lunch while I was in my room the whole day, aahn?"

"I don't have the right to touch any of the food that you didn't offer."

They headed straight to the kitchen. The girl stayed on the counter and sat on a stool chair while Atobe searched the fridge for anything to cook. That's right, he's cooking again.

"Do you know how to cook?" he asked the girl.

"Yes. But nothing special. Rest assured though, my cooking is edible."

"You cook tonight."

'Eh?! But- but- but!"

"You said you can."

"Do you even eat commoner's food?"

"We'll see tonight after you cook."

"Thanks for the pressure, Atobe-san."

"You're welcome."

The girl's head dropped on that.

"Okay, do you know what is curry?" the girl said as she stood up from her seat and joined Atobe beside the fridge.

"I will know tonight."

The girl sighed. She's at total loss. Well at least the feeling's not as tense as it was earlier.

The girl searched the fridge for everything she needs. She thought that feeding THE Atobe Keigo with commoner food is a bad idea but when she found all the ingredients that she needed inside the fridge and around the kitchen, she realized that the commoner's curry she has in mind will not be the commoner's curry anymore. Every ingredient she found was top class, the types she knew will that will never make it to the commoner's convenience stores.

Atobe stayed inside the kitchen as the girl cooked, casually throwing a conversation from time to time. He sat on the stool chair where the girl was sitting before he asked him to do the cooking.

"You can be a bit less uptight, you know?" Atobe began.

"Uptight? Am I?"

"You don't really have to wait for my go signal in everything in this house. You will stay with me for seven days more. It'd be hard if you don't let yourself feel at home."

"But-"

"Just think that you are in your house, will you? We don't really have to be so formal in this."

"That'd be hard."

"If you let yourself think it is."

At loss again, the girl replied, "I'll do my best."

* * *

OMAKE (just to make the end not so cheesy. Because I think it is)

While eating their dinner, the girl can't help but wonder if Atobe is eating the curry because he liked it, or is it because its his first time tasting it, or maybe because he doesn't want to upset her.

"(Last name),"

"Y-yes, Atobe-san?"

"You didn't answer me when I asked you earlier."

The girl tried to remember about anything that Atobe asked her but recalled none.

"I don't remember you asking me anything. Atobe-san."

"Being the person that you are, how many tarundoru do you get from Sanada on a daily basis?"

The girl's smile twitched on that. in her mind, the banshee screamed "What the hell was that? Sanada? Tarundoru? Me? Daily basis?"

"I... wonder about that." was all she said as a reply.

* * *

A/N

Well, how many tarundorus really? ha ha ha. You'll know (not quite) soon.

Atobe is going really OOC here. It's for your future relationship's benefit, so don't hate me.

And oh, have you ever experienced/felt that need to be polite and mannered while inside other people's house? Me I had. HAD. Coz' my mom ingrained that to my system... Until I reached highschool and frequently come over my friend's house. I spend a lot of time there (even though their house is really far from that of mine, but the fare is money worth the spend) and I would shamelessly admit that one of the reasons why I like going there is, their fridge always have pineapples! And occasionally some carrot cake, and sometimes strawberry juice, and sometimes bread from his brother's workplace (which are like, heaven materialized because they're freaking delicious). Sometimes also, when I feel like eating my own cooking, I bring my ingredients over and use their kitchen. Oh, they also have three dogs, also one of the reasons why I visit there often. I like petting them. They have one blind dog who looks really silly walking around the house, bumping into almost everything, one fluffy dog that does nothing but be cute and one BIIIIG dog who almost bit my left hand off on the first time we met (I still am working on making the dog like me because he doesn't seem to) who keeps on baring his canines at me. Nonetheless, I love that house because it's as if I live there when I'm there. Maybe that's why I'm having a hard time making the reader act like a normal visitor for long, to the point where I have to make Atobe-kun say that she should be less uptight.


	4. Day 4: Four Caroling Jerks

The moment that Atobe called Mukahi to help him shop for (First name)'s clothes is just as good as announcing to the the whole team that living with him right now is one of Rikkai Dai's queens, the Phoenix, (Last name, First name).

It's not like Atobe wanted to keep it a secret. He's not doing anything bad to make it a secret. In fact, he didn't even made a second thought when he considered calling Gakuto to proxy the girl in fitting the clothes when she refused to choose any when he took her to the mall. They're just living together, under some conditions.

And some things beyond.

Okay, not quite beyond. Just a bit.

And now, early in the morning, half of the team are outside his gate, singing English Christmas songs in the wrongest, unimaginable way with the most mistakes done by Mukahi and Shishido next since they are the only ones singing it wrong.

The doorbell chimed for the fifth time. The girl was at the monitor, looking at the four guys standing outside the gate. She wanted to get out face them but chose not to after one of the guys demanded harshly to let them in. She did not bother to speak through the speaker because she thinks that only Atobe can do that so.

Where's Atobe anyway?

He's taking a bath. That's why the girl cannot just call him and tell him that there are people outside the gate, demanding to be let in.

The four people stopped singing but the bell kept on ringing.

"Oi! Atobe! Get your ass out here and let us in!" a guy wearing a bonnet yelled. Saying it's not Shishido is an obvious mistake.

"Gakuto, are you sure Atobe's in here?" another guy with round glasses asked the shorter guy beside him.

"That's Mukahi-kun" she recalled the day when Atobe shopped for her clothes and making Mukahi fit them in her stead, "And he looks familiar too," she referred to Yuushi.

The doorbell was pressed in an unreasonable number of times which made the girl panic a bit, "what's taking Atobe-san too long?!"

"Why do you need my presence?" Atobe suddenly appeared from behind her making her jump in place.

"Ah! Atobe-san, Mukahi...kun... is... is...outside! andhe'swithotherpeople!" the girl had her left hand gripping her chest because her heartbeats just won't subside after Atobe's sudden appearance that shocked the hell out of her.

"What's wrong with you?" Atobe stared at the heavily breathing girl beside him.

"I am... not... in... panic! Iswear!" she tried to breath in and out in order to calm herself down.

"Aahn?" Atobe got confused of the girl's reply. The unreasonable abuse of the doorbell was left ignored as he continued to look at the girl who's still on the process of regaining her composure.

"Haaah!" the girl let out a heavy sigh just like the ones they do after a rigorous practice in order to keep themselves from panting.

"You okay now?"

"Yeah. Just please don't come to the scene like that. You just shortened my life span, you know?"

Atobe smirked, "this girl is getting more and more interesting everyday,' he thought. He then turned to look at the monitor to see who's outside with Mukahi.

"Atobe! Let us in! It's damn cold here!" Shishido shouted.

Atobe pressed the button that allowed him to be heard outside, "No." was all he said.

"What the fuck?!" Shishido exclaimed, "Let us in! We've been standing here for a long time now! Gakuto just won't shut up with his lame caroling!"

"Shishido-san, calm down..." Ohtori's voice can be heard but from all the cursing that Shishido is making.

Atobe looked at the girl, "They were caroling?"

"Yes. But the most part of it were done by Mukahi-kun and the guy who just talked."

"For how long now?"

"Since you went to the bath? I guess that. Because the bell's already chiming and they're already in the middle of the chorus when I went here."

Atobe pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why do I get to have jerks for a team?" he thought.

Oshitari spoke, at least there are two sane people with them, the other being Ohtori, "Atobe, will you let us in? While it's true that Gakuto just won't shut up with his super lame caroling-"

"Hey! That wasn't lame! It's hard to sing in English when you're not fluent in English!" Mukahi sliced through Ohtori's sentence.

"Fluency is not the issue here, idiot!" Shishido gave a fast reply that gained him a glare from the acrobat.

"he also just won't shut up about Rikkai Dai's (Last name) being with you. He won't even let me sleep through the night without texting me about how ecstatic he was when he met her at the mall two days ago. I can't even get through any meal without him calling to talk about his encounter with her and how all he wanted for Christmas is to meet her" Oshitari continued.

"Yeah, the imp is being a total fanboy. Super lame!"

"Who are you calling an imp?!"

"I thought you'd be smart enough to know it was you!"

"Che! you're calling me a fanboy and yet you're here? We might be aboard the same boat, Ryou!"

"No way!"

"Yes way! I'd understand why Yuushi is here because I asked him to come with me. But you are here when you are not even invited!"

"Hey! Choutaro's here too!"

"He's here because you clearly asked him to! It's what doubles pairs do, right Choutaro?"

"Mukahi-senpai..." Ohtori sighed. His saintly patience burned out just by listening to Shishido and Mukahi's bickering and now, it's safe to say that he's just hanging by the thread.

Atobe and the girl on the other hand were watching them on the monitor from inside the house. Atobe found their ruckus embarrassing to the neighbors while the girl cannot hold her laughter from the beginning.

"You have interesting team mates, Atobe-san"

"You won't be thinking the same after you spend an entire day with them." AAtobe said with the slightest life that he can possibly put in his speech.

"Atobe?" Oshitari called out. He only said Atobe's family name but there's more to it, his tone suggested a longer meaning. Something like, "please help me Atobe, Mukahi will haunt me forever if you don't show him (last name) today. I don't want to die young out of stress."

And since Atobe doesn't want to loose what little of the sane people that he have as regulars, he decided to let them in.

"I'll go get them," he told the girl and then went out.

Since there's quite a distance from the mansion itself to the gate, Shishido who's already impatient raised a threat. This is viewed by the girl from the monitor.

"Atobe! If you're not letting us in, we'll sing as loud as we can right here, right now!"

"Yeah!" Mukahi agreed with Shishido. The two seemed to have reached a point where they have the same interest.

"I'm out of that,' Oshitari stepped aside and stood beside Ohtori who's just behavely standing there, not really obvious that he already gave up on stopping Shishido and Mukahi's idiocy.

"No you're not!" Mukahi said as he grabbed Oshitari by the wrist. Shishido did the same to Ohtori.

"One, two, one two three go!" Mukahi counted.

'Rocking around! the Chrismas tree! On a yeah yeah holiday!" Shishido sang in what seemed to be a failed attempt in rock, obviously not familiar with the rest of the song.

"Silent night... Holy ni- oh my god Mukahi-senpai! Ohtori's solemn song ended with a shriek when he saw Mukahi jump above Shishido for no particular reason.

"Oh Dancer, Oh Prancer, Oh Vixen, Saint Rudolph, Ole! Ole! Ole! Mama Santa, dulce easter Santa Claus!" Someone should give Mukahi a copy of the CORRECT song.

"What was that language?" Shishido stopped his singing when he heard the acrobat's song.

"Mukahish,'' Oshitari cleared his throat.

Ohtori giggled at that.

"We all know no such language exists, Oshitari," Shishido argued.

"It does. Gakuto just used it. Mukahish is a hybrid of Spanish and Gakuto's stupidity. Only people who have pointy bob cuts and jump three meters up in the air can speak that."

"Hey!" Mukahi growled.

"At least you remember some of the deers' names. I'm impressed. But they're not really in order back there."

Atobe soon came to view and stopped behing the gate to look at them.

"It's nine in the morning," he said giving them that annoyed face.

The silver pair and Oshitari looked at Gakuto then back to Atobe.

"Say that to him," Oshitari and Shishido chorused. Ohtori did not say anything because he's too kind to say it.

"What business do you have here?" Atobe probed, standing still behind the gate, as if having no plan to let the four people in.

"(Last name)! I want to see her!" Gakuto replied. Loudly.

Yes, Gakuto is now officially (Full name)'s fanboy.

"Aahn? Why is it that you want to see her?"

"Because he's obviously a fan! Ugh Atobe, just let us in first, will you!?"

"No. If it's only Gakuto who wanted to see (Last name), then what are the three of you doing here?"

"I asked Yuushi to accompany me. Ryou is also a fanboy. And Ohtori... well, Ryou needs a lovely item," Mukahi reasoned.

"What?!" Shishido tried to protest but Mukahi silenced him with a look that suggested "trust me with this, okay?" which made Shishido want to worry more.

Yes, Shishido is worried that he won't be let in too. He'll never admit it, in their presence at least, but he's also (last name)'s fanboy. Mukahi just accuses him in the name of annoying Ryou while Oshitari suspects that Mukahi's accuse may have a high tendency of being true. Ohtori on the other hand, knows fully well about this. Not because Shishido told him but because he knows his doubles partner well. But since Shishido is denying it, Ohtori chose to keep his knowledge to himself.

Atobe sighed in frustration, "can they PLEASE, just not take away what's little of the time we have left to be with each other?" his mind began to stray away from the current conversation. When he snapped out of it, he was just thankful that he seems to have not said anything aloud.

"Ask her." Atobe finally said, "Look at the camera and ask her, she'll respond."

The girl who's still watching at the monitor heard what Atobe just said.

"This is his house, why me?" she murmured.

Gakuto looked at Atobe the turned to the camera above and the faced the speaker before him.

"Phoenix-san! Can we get inside? Please? I just have a few questions to ask you!" Mukahi asked nicely.

The girl hesitated for a bit. She thought about having a safe reply like "Ask Atobe-san" but she realized that it would not take them anywhere as Atobe would just either send them away or pass the giving of approval back to her. She thought about it one more time before she pressed the button and spoke, "It's alright."

Upon hearing this, Mukahi jumped like he's on a tennis match and Shishido threw his fists up in the air, but stopped right away when he realized that a certain blue-haired tensai is looking at him.

Atobe sighed and opened the gate. What can the king do when the queen hands down an order?

Obey.

Atobe's stomach tightened at that thought. He needs to do a lot of thinking when he's alone in his room tonight.

* * *

The girl was waiting for them at the porch of the mansion. At the sight of her, Mukahi beamed with excitement, the same thing could be said about Shishido but his face showed less expression as he can feel Oshitari's eyes slowly making it's way to him.

"Aaah! There she is! Rikkai's Queen! The Phoenix!" the acrobat excitedly pointed at the girl which gained him a smile from her.

"Good morning, everyone," she was the one to greet first when all of them reached the porch.

"Good morning," the silver pair and Oshitari chorused.

"I am Shishido Ryou, nice to meet you," Shishido held out his hand which was received by the girl in a handshake.

"Nice meet you, Shishido-san," the girl replied as she shook the dash specialist's hand.

"He's obviously not a fan." Mukahi whispered to Oshitari in a very sarcastic manner and loud enough for Shishido to hear. That gained him a threatening look from Shishido, which he retaliated with by sticking his tongue out.

"I am Ohtori Choutaro," Ohtori held out his hand after Shishido's turn, which was again received by the girl.

"Nice meeting you, Ohtori-kun," the girl shook Ohtori's hands as she tried to remember something on her head. "Are you the one of the Neo Scud Serve?'

Ohtori was surprised to hear that from the girl, "Ah... yes." he timidly replied.

"I heard that was a really amazing serve. It's a shame to say though, I have yet to see it in person."

Ohtori just smiled but he's actually flattered.

The girl looked past Ohtori's side and her eyes landed on Hyotei's tensai.

"Uhm, you look familiar. Do you by any chance, know Kenya Oshitari? He's a tennis player from Shitenhouji Middle School back at Osaka,"

"He's my cousin. I am Oshitari Yuushi. Pleased to meet you," Oshitari did not shake hands with her anymore. Instead he just gave her a polite bow of respect.

The girl bowed back, "I am (last name) (first name). Pleased to meet you too. As I thought. I've seen you in Osaka before. It was at Kenya-kun's house.

"You must be friends with him."

"He's an acquaintance," the girl replied.

"And you call him "Kenya-kun" just like that?" Atobe jealously thought. he got inside without a word and the rest of them followed after exchanging puzzled looks.

They were all led to the living room. The four visitors shared the sofa while Atobe and the girl had their own individual armchairs.

"Ah, that's right, I have yet to properly introduce myself. I am (Last name) (First name). Gakuto-kun, please don't call me Phoenix, it's uncomfortable. Sorry for introducing myself late."

"It's alright, we already know you. Right, Ryou?" Mukahi mockingly asked Shishido.

"We've seen you play many times before and you were great," Shishido said, a little too formal for his comfort.

"Tha-thank you..."

Brace yourself, fanboys incoming.

"I have a lot of questions to ask you, (last name)-san. And maybe some fan information to confirm too. Would you mind if I'd do?" Mukahi got a notepad and a ballpen from the pocket of his jacket. In his notes were questions that he already thought of beforehand.

"Gakuto! That's not fair!" Shishido whined.

"What? I thought you're not a fan? It should be fine!" Mukahi replied as if taunting Shishido with every word.

Atobe cleared his throat and stood up.

"Oshitari, we'll go get the drinks."

"Usu." Oshitari did that on on purpose because he feels like he's a substitute for Kabaji who's not around.

"I'll help." Ohtori stood up too, catching up to the two.

The three of them went to the kitchen.

"Where's Kabaji?" Oshitari can't help but ask. All Mukahi told him are stuff about (last name) so he basically have no idea how come Atobe doesn't have a single servant with him at home nor Kabaji, his bestfriend who seemed to have vowed to be eternally on Atobe's side, to an almost literal extent.

"He's in England as we speak. I told him to go to his parents. It's the same for my servants with their families, if you're going to ask about them next."

"Were you fine living alone. Atobe-san?" Ohtori asked. Upon realizing that his question might have came quite in an offensive manner, he tried to continue, "I mean-"

"As you can see." Atobe responded as if those four words can explain everything.

"And you're left all alone here? Are you sure you can get by? For how long do you plan to let them take a vacation?" Oshitari asked as he arranged different types of sweets on a tray.

"They'd be back by the twenty-seventh." Atobe chose not to answer the rest of the questions for his own good.

"Why is (Last Name) here?" Oshitari asked directly, finding no other way to put the question into words.

That question made Ohtori pause for a while as if anticipating Atobe's answer. Nobody will not get intrigued at the fact that Atobe is with (last name) at a time and situation like this. Setting tennis aside, it has never occurred to anyone that Atobe would do something such as living inder the same roof with someone who he barely knew. Like, Atobe didn't even had the slightest idea that the girl is the captain of Rikkai's girls team until Mukahi said it. Not to mention, their positions in their respective tennis clubs must be the only way for them to get acquainted with each other. Then again, Atobe is way too occupied with their own matches that he did not even had the slightest idea that Rikkai actually had three queens and he's actually asked one of them to live with him and saying that he's not falling for her would be no less than telling an obvious lie.

"I asked her to." was all Atobe said.

The tensai and Ohtori exchanged looks.

"I'm sure something else happened before that," Oshitari's glasses glinted as he shifted his look from Ohtori to Atobe.

Atobe sighed, not in defeat but of annoyance. He doesn't want to talk about it with anyone, specially with one of the persons who stole away some what little time he and the girl have left to be together, even if he's one of the sane people that he can trust in his team.

Atobe told Ohtori and Oshitari what happened on the day he met the girl anyway. How she was standing in front of his gate asking to get her bag that was thrown over his fence, how he knew that he shad a broken wrist, how she planned to go on travelling back to Osaka with no money, and the deal they had. Of course, Atobe is not stupid to tell them that he's interested with the girl to the extent he's in right now.

"I see," Ohsitari adjusted his glasses before he used both his hands to carry the tray of sweets, "So how's life living with her? She's been with you for like, three days now, right?"

Ohtori left ahead with the drinks with him, leaving Atobe and Oshitari behind.

''It's fine." Atobe's thrifty reply.

"That was an understatement, wasn't it?"

Atobe just laughed and left the kitchen ahead with nothing on his hands really. Ohtori's got the drinks while Oshitari got the sweets. Atobe did nothing while they were in the kitchen in the first place, he just let Oshitari pick whatever he thought would be enough to feed them.

* * *

"So what is your specialty, (Last name)-san?" was the question that Atobe and Oshitari heard when they came back to the living room.

Atobe looked at the girl, trying not to show that he's also interested of the answer.

"Do you mean, play style?" Shishido inserted, trying to correct Mukahi's question.

"Nope! That's for question number thirty-eight! We're still on thirty-five! Specialty I mean, if she's a power player, or a trickster like that Niou guy or maybe an acrobat like me," Mukahi did not bother to look at Shishido. He's had enough seeing his face, all this time messing up with his interview with his idol, the girl.

"Will it be fine if I'd answer the both questions this once?" she asked, more uncomfortable than before Atobe, Ohtori and Oshitari left.

"It'd be better if you don't answer them at all, if it's making you uncomfortable." Atobe butted in, earning him a glare from Mukahi and Shishido, the latter's glare being more intense. Atobe sighed. Shishido really is a fanboy in denial.

The girl just smiled at Atobe but her eyes told him that "no, I'll settle this here and now."

"I am an all-rounder. I bet that's a common thing for players who are more into playing singles than doubles. But all-rounders can still play in doubles, right? I am not a powerhouse player since my power is just enough to hit average smashes, I can imitate techniques but I take time to practice and not just copy them on the spot. Haru-kun has my respect for being natural at copying others- even to the impossible extent. And I don't do acrobatics that much. I only do it when the shot calls for it but as much as possible, I don't want to have an injury from a failed acrobatic attempt," the girl ended with a faint laugh, embarrassed at her admitting of her weakness in acrobatics.

Her answer gained different reactions from the Hyotei people who are with her.

Beginning with Ohtori now understanding why Shishido became a fanboy of the girl- because she is worth fanboying over. He found her really awesome even with just that little said, Ohtori even considered joining Shishido and Mukahi in their Phoenix fan club.

Oshitari remembered something about Kenya mentioning about a friend's cousin, who's balance can get as bad as his after falling off the monkey bar face-first when she tried to walk above it. Now he's thinking that the girl might be the cousin of Kenya's friend, but he's not sure who that friend is.

Shishido could have commented on how lame it is for her to suck at acrobatics, but the other half of him convinced him that being able to copy the techniques of other player by practicing can be really cool, as he himself finds it really hard to imitate techniques that right away.

"I can teach you acrobatics if you want!" Mukahi offered, his hopes being obviously high and excited, his mind already flooding with moments that he made up wherein he's teaching the Rikkai queen his famous moon sault.

And brace yourself, here come's Atobe's reaction.

He just raised one of his perfect eyebrows. That's for the start.

Then the raised eyebrow twitched.

"Haru...kun... Was that supposed to be Niou MasaHARU?!" Atobe is really jealous of the fact that the girl just called Niou "Haru-kun", the bastard who mocked his "Atobe Kingdom" by changing his room number back at the U17 camp to "Niou Kingdom"

"Just how close is she with that trickster?!" Atobe ranted on but in reality, he has yet to say a single word. He's fuming in jealousy but nobody noticed it.

Well, except the man who is good at grasping situations, Oshitari.

Of all the people. The smartest one.

After Atobe of course.

Instead of letting his jealousy pent up, Atobe chose to vent it out in some way.

"The middle school circuit will become a circus if we'll have one more jumping player, Gakuto" poor Mukahi that it was vented out on him

"Hey!" Mukahi exclaimed, his pride badly insulted but not enough to make him hold a grudge against Atobe.

"Well, I only need to use acrobatics on very, very, VERY tough returns. Which doesn't usually happen. I guess I'm fine with what I have, Mukahi-kun. But thanks a lot for the offer, I appreciate it," the girl smiled kindly at Mukahi, not wanting to hurt his feelings after she refused his offer.

"It's okay. But don't hesitate to call me when you need help in acrobatics, okay? You can only learn from the best!" whoever gave Mukahi the right to brag will be hunt down by three hired gunmen. One from Atobe, one from Shishido and the other from Oshitari. Well, Ohtori thought of just going to a temple and pray for his senpai's personality development rather than violence.

"Since you're not the power player, nor the copycat type, and not so much acrobatics... what do you specialize at?" Shishido asked again, eager to know the answer to the question.

"You watch their games, right? You should have at least some idea on her specialty if you saw her play,' Oshitari stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

"I did saw her play five times. Two games won after the players forfieted and the other two won after quick games, and the last one, the opponent had to forfeit due to collapsing caused by extinguished stamina." Shishido recalled.

"Same here. But ironically, the games where the opponents forfeited were all long games. That are stuck at the tiebreaker and the other two quick matches ended before any display of techniques happened," Mukahi looked at the girl who just smiled shyly.

The girl cannot bear the fact that the two fanboys know as much, and are conversing about her games right in front of her.

''But that won't help answering the question," Oshitari said, which helped the girl out. "Maybe your question needs to be paraphrased.'

"How?" Mukahi and Shishido even Ohtori chorused.

"(Last name)-san, what aspect of your tennis do you have least confidence in?" Oshitri asked, hoping also to get an answer this time.

"Power. I really want to hit heavy serves and returns in rows but I just can't do it simultaneously. I can hit heavy ones but within intervals or else it will drain me out."

That earned a nod from the silver pair, Mukahi scribbling it down like he's a data specialist, Oshitari looked content and Atobe still rumbling in his mind how the girl calls Niou Haru-kun.

"Next question," Mukahi went on, "Dominant hand?"

"How many times have you seen her play again, Gakuto?" Oshitari interrupted.

"Come on, Yuushi!"

"Yeah, we both know that she's left handed. Skip that already, Gakuto." Shishido agreed with Oshitari.

"Assholes," Gakuto scribbled the word 'left' on his notepad then went on to the next question.

Atobe thought about it for a second, he thought the girl is right handed, because all these time she's been using her right hand, specially when she used the knife when he asked her to cook. He let it slip away when he remembered that she's got an injured wrist, so maybe she's just being careful. After all, there are many tennis players that have grown to be able to use both hands but still rely on their dominant hand to play in a serious match.

"Usual position in a lineup?"

"We all know that captains play in singles one!" Shishido being an asshole again.

"And we all know that that doesn't apply all the time!"

"Mukahi-kun is right, Shishido-san. In our lineup, most of the time, I get to have the reserve position. Four of the five times you saw me play were one of the few times that I'm put on singles three, during the tournaments when my team finds the doubles pairs of other schools stronger than ours. My vice-captain trusts me enough to leave the breaking of any winning streak by our opponents by putting me on singles three if ever we lose in both doubles, she's the one who makes our lineup after all. She knows about our opponents better than I do, because she's a good scout and gets valuable data. Our team doesn't have any permanent doubles team, you see and she says I cannot play doubles because I'm better off playing singles. We just come up with our doubles pairs when we already gauged our opponent's doubles pairs but I was never allowed to play in doubles because it had yet to happen that I am needed to play. Then again. most of the time, I'm only on reserve and don't get to play at all. Being the bench coach is the most I can do during times like those."

"You let your vice captain make the lineup?" Oshitari asked, simply wondering why the captain leaves the lineup in the hands of the vice captain instead leaving it to the coach or doing it herself.

"I trust her, Oshitari-san. As I said, she's good at collecting data. Only she can make the best lineup that can counter our opponents. Besides, she seems to enjoy it, so why not?" the girl smiled at the end part.

"Maybe she enjoys it because she can make you not play at all." Atobe joined, seeming to have moved on from the Haru-kun issue. "While there's no rule that requires captains to play, isn't it obvious that you are always in the reserve position and is only let to play a game when in a pinch?"

"Where are you getting at, Atobe-san?" the girl litlted her head, just obvious that she didn't understand Atobe at all.

Atobe sighed, "this girl can't be this unsuspecting," he thought.

"I'm saying that your vice captain is purposefully not letting you play. Haven't you noticed that?"

The girl paused to ponder.

"Since you started becoming the captain of Rikkai Girls, how many times were you able to play in all the tournaments you joined?" Oshitari probed, wanting to see how true are Atobe's words.

"Five times. The last one being in the nationals this year when we played Hyotei Girls', when the games reached the reserve players."

"And you led Rikkai to the nationals for three years." Atobe added.

'Also, the five games are supposed to be played during the nationals. To actually put the captain on reserve... your vice captain should have that much confidence in your team." Oshitari added to make the topic lighter, only to get havey again when Mukahi added the word that he himself chose not to say.

"It's more like her vice captain have that much disrespect for her." Said Mukahi.

The girl shot Mukahi an unintentional glare, "please don't speak ill of my vice captain. However we put it, the lineups that she made still made it possible for us to get championship of the nationals. Whether I was allowed to play or not, her plans still worked well."

"It's not about respect anymore," Atobe thought. "it's her pride that's being stepped on. Being not allowed to play by the person who she defeated is just way too much for a revenge."

"Just how many tournaments do you think you have to play in three years? And you were only able to play five times? Just how lame is that?" Shishido just won't cut it. But the girl is fine with it as long as it doesn't involve talking about her vice captain.

"As you would put it Shishido-san, it's super lame. I mean, I like playing tennis. And just sitting as the bench coach for an entire tournament just depresses me. I mean, I train really hard so that I can win my match and keep my sports scholarship in good condition and yet all I get to do is sit beside the court and play no game at all. I feel like I'm rusting with every game they play, as if I'm being left behind or something. But then again, I can't say no to the lineups we have."

"You were captain since first year?" Mukahi asked, wide-eyed, a little bit too late.

"Can you get any slower than that?." Shishido being the asshole that he is, replied.

''Wait! Wait! Wait! Did you just say that you are a sports scholar?" it was a good diversion by Mukahi, the girl doesn't want to be questioned further about her position in a lineup.

"Yes, I am. I've been attending middle school in Rikkai Dai since first year through that," the girl found this question to be a good start but she was wrong.

"And you are almost losing it right now," Atobe supplemented, which the girld didn't really appreciate.

"What?" the silver pair and Mukahi chorused, Oshitari just got his interest heightened.

"You didn't really had to mention that, Atobe-san..."

"My tongue slipped," the king reasoned, which earned him a "do you think we'd believe that?" look from his team mates, save Ohtori.

"How is that true, (Last name)-san?" Oshitari was the one to continue this time.

The girl sighed, her frustrated mind muttered, 'why did this question need to go back to Mai-chan?"

"Because I suck in arts," she lied. Atobe knew about so she gave Atobe the look.

The king got her message, she doesn't want to talk about this anymore.

"How much more questions do you have there, Gakuto?" Atobe made a good move to change the topic.

"About fifty more."

Maybe not.

"Can you ask her anything else that's less personal?"

"That wasn't personal!"

Mukahi was right, it's just that the answers to those non-personal questions all lead to somewhat personal answers. Atobe sighed and Oshitari got the message this time.

"I have to pick up a novel at the bookstore today. We need to get going." Oshitari did not lie, he really had a book to buy today but he knew he he could do it later.

"Yuushi! Can't that book wait? It's still like, eleven in the morning! You can have the rest of the day to buy that, I'll even accompany you!" Mukahi bargained.

"No, it can't wait. That book is a limited edition. It will go sold out if we don't leave now." Oshitari stood up followed by Ohtori and a reluctant Shishido.

"Aaaah! Yuushi! You just ruined my moment!"

"What moment?"

"(Last name)! Seeing her today IS the moment! And you just ruined it by announcing that you need to pick some limited edition shit at a bookstore!"

"It's a novel, Gakuto. And a moment lasts for an average of four seconds. You've had too much moment in this case."

"Whatever!"

Oshitari headed for the door, the silver pair behind him.

"Atobe, we'll leave now. See you at Hyotei's Christmas Ball."

"Aaahn."

"Gakuto?"

And then the group who's crowding at the door turned to see Mukahi holding out his phone, enthusiastically asking for the girl to take a selfie with him.

"Jesus Christ." Oshitari face palmed.

Click. Click. Click.

The girl agreed to taking selfies with Mukahi. She would admit, it was her first time to see a fanboy and how Mukahi behaves is actually kind of cute.

''Shishido-san, don't you want to take a picture with her too?" Ohtori whispered to Shishido, who jolted at the thought.

'N...no..no way!"

"It's fine, Shishido-san. Go, I'll take the pictures so both of you will properly fit on the screen, is that okay with you?" Ohtori offered as he pushed his senpai by the back, to Mukah and the girl's direction.

"Oi, Choutaro! You should take a picture with her too! This is unfair!"

"Hai! Hai! I will, after you of course."

"You better take your photo too Oshitari!" Shishisdo glared at the tensai as he stole Mukahi's spot beside the girl.

"If it will save your face Shishido, then I will." Oshitari nonchalantly replied as he walked past Atobe who's now ready to tarundoru slap everyone if he'll allow himself to get as harsh as Sanada.

"What the fuck was that?" Shishido blurted out in time when Ohtori snapped for a picture which resulted to a picture of him and the girl who's prettily smiling while his mouth and face were in a ridiculous shape.

Ohtori suddenly became busy, taking pictures of the girl and Shishido, the girl and Mukahi and the girl and Oshitari, and all of them

"Choutro should have his picture taken with her too!" Shishido declared.

"I'm fine Shishido-san..."

But Shishido already had pushed Ohtori beside the girl and used his phone to take their photo.

"Since we are at it, why don't we take a group picture?" Oshitari suggested, "If it's still fine with you though." He turned to look at the girl.

"I-it's okay." She smiled.

"But who will take the picture?" Mukahi asked, which made them stop for a moment (yes, for four seconds) and turned to look at Atobe as if the four of them are in Synchro.

"No."

"..."

"Fine! Just get this over with!"

Then Atobe snatched the phone from Shishido. The four Hyotei players scrambled as they took their positions around the girl. Atobe took four shots but before he's done...

"Hey! Take photos using my phone too!" demanded Mukahi.

"No."

"Pleaaaaase!"

"Just bluetooth the damn pictures!"

And with that, the four caroling jerks left Atobe fuming in peace.

How ironic.

Atobe sat at the sofa. Oh how he missed his spot in that luxurious furniture.

"I need aspirin." were the only words he said.

The girl sat beside him but he did not bother to look at her. He's still hot on how she calls Oshitari Kenya "Kenya-kun" anh his blood still boils (still in jealousy) on how she calls the trickster "Haru-kun".

"It's nice to have lively people like them in your team. People from my team can get as fun like them too. I kind of like missed the girls suddenly."

"It's surprising that you still don't find them worthy of overdosing with aspirins over."

The girl did not respond. All Atobe heard was the repetitive pressing of a phone's keypad.

"Atobe-san..."

Just the words that Atobe wanted to hear. He looked at the girl and he was greeted with a phone, the girl inching closer beside him.

"...smile!"

Then came the shutter sound. Voila! Their first selfie.

The girl looked at her phone's screen for a while before she noticed Atobe's silence.

"S-s-sorry! I'm sorry Atobe-san! I should have asked your permission first before I took the picture!"

Atobe just gave the girl a straight face.

"Send me a copy of that."

* * *

Omake

Outside, while the silver and dirty pair were walking on the streets...

Mukahi: (Last name)-san is so cool.

Shishido: And you're so lame. Stop acting like a fangirl already.

Mukahi: What?! You don't even say a thing when Jirou goes fanboy mode over Marui of Rikkai.

Shishido: Because getting all cute suits Jirou, unlike person there who's got a super lame haircut.

Mukahi: At least my body react normal to the situation! My idol is near and I go fanboy mode! Unlike someone I know who fanboys with a straight face. What the fuck.

Shishido: Hey! I wasn't fanboying or anything!

Mukahi: And I don't remember saying it was you.

Oshitari: (to Ohtori) They just won't shut up, would they?

Ohtori: I'm thinking of backing out in trying to become a member of the fan club that they just started.

The tensai just gave Choutaro a blank stare. "Not you too!"

Later when all of them reached their houses.

*BEEP* Shishido received a mail from Mukahi.

"By the way, remember when I said I met her at the mall? I was with Atobe that time, I was helping Atobe shop for her clothes. So I practically know her sizes and the brands she wear. And the clothes she wore today? I chose those for her- and probably the rest of her wardrobe. How's about that? Mr. Fanboy With A Straight Face? :P"

Shishido's lips twitched. Tonight, he's gonna come up with a plan to make Choutaro hit neo scud serve straight to Gakuto's lame-haired head and making it look like an accident.

* * *

A/N

I keep messing up Oshitari and Ohtori's names. Just insert an s and change the second o in Ohtori, it becomes Oshitari. K, I'm crazy.

I did not give Choutaro so much lines. Why? I like the guy. I mean, like how I do with Atobe (and Fuji... and Niou... Shinji... Yuushi... Akutsu... and many more) and once I start giving him the long lines, chances are, he'd take most of the lines like he's the one I paired up with the reader. If that happens, it's gonna be like going to school on a Sunday. Right, Atobe-kun? xD

Also, just asking you guys, if so ever the pigs will fly and crows discover the magic of bleach, and you meet your favorite PoT character, will you behave like Gakuto or Shishido? If someone were to throw this question back at me, I'd say, I'll be like Gakuto when I'll meet: Eiji, Sengoku, Momo-chan-senpai, Jirou, Gakuto, Yuushi, Konjiki-san and Yuuji-san, Jackal and be like Shishisdo when I'll meet Shishido, Atobe, Saeki, Yukimura, Kenya, Zaizen, Gin Ishida, Taka-san, Kaidoh, Marui, Choutaro, Kabaji-kun, Fuji brothers, and Akutsu. But, if so ever given the chance, I'd like to meet David (Amane Hikaru?) and have a pun spree with him. My friend often tell me that my puns and jokes are lame but she's got no choice but to listen coz we're ahem... friends.

P.s. This fic might end off season. Oh shit.


End file.
